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Lord_Gareth
2011-02-20, 09:49 PM
OOC Introduction
It's been years in the making, but may I now present the finalized version of my Harrowed class, now with a new feature - Harrowings! You'll note that they've lost their bonus feats, and that's been done on purpose, but they still have their very own feat list for those who really want to explore the Monster Within. Without further ado, here's the main structure of the class, with the next few posts being Harrowings, Feats, and Prestige Classes, in that order. Please, PEACH and enjoy!


The Harrowed
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Aryllia communes with The Monster Within

“Trapping the beast within you does not make you a monster, child. Knowing when to unleash it – that is what makes you human.”Jozan, to Aryllia, a Harrowed.

Sorcerers are born with raw magic flooding their veins. Bards tap into the strange and whimsical powers in music, where clerics draw powers down from gods and druids up from the earth itself. For these individuals, power is a blessing.

For the Harrowed, it is a curse.

The Harrowed are unfortunates that, for whatever reason, have found themselves trapped in an unending battle for their souls. Hurled back into the realms of the living from those of the dead, each Harrowed struggles with a being trapped within them, fighting for control of their bodies, their souls, and their sanity. The fact that they can steal a measure of this monster’s power is bitter comfort to most Harrowed, who know that their control over their abilities is fickle at best.

Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability to a Harrowed, as it increases their Will save and therefore their control over themselves and their abilities. Charisma increases the save DCs of their powers, and Dexterity is essential for accurate use of their Shadowmental Touch. Many Harrowed find Intelligence to be a useful ability, especially those of a more careful, investigative bent.

Role: A Harrowed serves as a ranged damager and supernatural investigator for her party. Where some spells fail – or simply have yet to be invented – a Harrowed can hound clues to the ground using supernatural senses, the spirits of the deceased, and even by tracking the mystic resonances left behind by her quarry. Depending on her selection of feats, a Harrowed may serve in myriad other ways to an adventuring party, limited only by their tolerance and her inventiveness.

Background: Most Harrowed wake up some place in the wilderness or on the outskirts of civilization with no memory of who they are or how they came to be there. Many of these Harrowed will take the names of objects, equipment, kindly strangers, or even concepts as their own. It is worth noting that these Harrowed almost instinctually realize what they are and take steps to master themselves almost immediately. A few Harrowed are instead born like normal members of their race and raised from childhood. Those that aren’t promptly slain for being “unholy witch children” typically manifest their powers around the ages of three to five, struggling early and often with the monster within. They typically leave their homes early in order to protect those around them – or are forced out when the community either exiles them or lays in ashes at their feet.

Harrowed enjoy a peculiar kind of immortality – whenever they would be permanently slain, they reincarnate once again, going through the same cycle of struggle and destruction over and over again. So far, no one has caught on to this pattern, though some extremely old Harrowed are beginning to catch snatches of memories that they have never lived – and investigating thoroughly.

Organization: None. Each Harrowed is a wholly unique case, and they are typically so rare as to be nearly unheard of. One Harrowed encountering another may be surprised, angry, pleased, or just about any conceivable reaction, really. It’s worth noting that the name “Harrowed” is typically applied to them only by beings who truly understand their predicament – ancient celestials, the eldest of fiends, and over-deities. Others may call the Harrowed witches, fiends, or even sorcerers; no universally accepted name for them exists.

Alignment: Any. Many Harrowed tend towards good, and/or lawful alignments due to the instinctive “fight” reaction associated with their monster, but quite a few turn to evil, either having become corrupted from within or hoping that their base debaucheries will appease the dark force within them.

Races: Harrowed hail from almost any race, though each race only possesses a meager handful at most. Curiously enough, non-mortal races – that is, those incapable of dying of old age, such as planetouched, most outsiders, or sentient constructs – never produce Harrowed, and members of these races cannot gain levels in the Harrowed class. Many Harrowed are human, probably due to that race’s prodigious breeding rate, but some of the oldest living Harrowed are elves.

Religion: Harrowed tend to reject religion out of spite; to them, the gods are weaklings at best and sadistic tormentors at worst, unworthy of worship or even consideration. Some Harrowed even blame the gods for their condition; of these, a few turn to religion in the vain hope that their patron deity will lift their curse.

Other Classes: Harrowed often possess a deep-seated resentment for classes that either possess innate magical power (such as sorcerers) or who gain it from a higher force (such as clerics or druids). Harrowed tend to express this by being snappy and short-tempered around these individuals, and biting, sarcastic remarks (“Why don’t you just snap your fingers and magic it away, then?”) are very common. Harrowed tend to be more tolerant of those who earned their power through sacrifice or study (such as wizards or paladins), but they only truly feel at ease around non-magical classes such as barbarians, rogues, fighters, and monks. This isn’t to say that the Harrowed is completely open to these individuals – how can they really understand the Harrowed, after all? – but they do find forming relationships with them to be much easier and far less tense.

Adaptation: Many details of the Harrowed condition have been left intentionally vague so that the Dungeon Master may more easily work them into their world (but see one possible example below). Mechanically speaking, the Harrowed can be adapted quite easily, usually by altering their Tenebrous Touch class feature, or by removing or introducing feat lines or additional Harrowings.

Hit Die: D8.

Starting Gold: 3d4 x 10 gold.

Class Features

Class Skills: The Harrowed’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows: Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (All skills, chosen individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (N/A), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha)

Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Intelligence Modifier) x 4
Skill Points Per Level After First: 4 + Intelligence Modifier



Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special


1st

+0

+0

+0

+2
The Monster Within, Tenebrous Touch (1d6), Harrowing


2nd

+1

+0

+0

+3
Two-World Eyes (Darkvision)


3rd

+2

+1

+1

+3
Tenebrous Touch (2d6), Harrowing


4th

+3

+1

+1

+4
Death Sight


5th

+3

+1

+1

+4
Tenebrous Mantle, Tenebrous Touch (3d6), Harrowing


6th

+4

+2

+2

+5
Tenebrous Touch (Melee)


7th

+5

+2

+2

+5
Glimpse the Soul, Tenebrous Touch (4d6), Harrowing


8th

+6/+1

+2

+2

+6
Evil Eye


9th

+6/+1

+3

+3

+6
Bestial Resilience 10, Tenebrous Touch (5d6), Harrowing


10th

+7/+2

+3

+3

+7
Two-World Eyes (Detect Magic)


11th

+8/+3

+3

+3

+7
Tenebrous Touch (6d6), Harrowing


12th

+9/+4

+4

+4

+8
Read the Soul, Scent the Occult


13th

+9/+4

+4

+4

+8
Tenebrous Touch (7d6), Harrowing


14th

+10/+5

+4

+4

+9
Tenebrous Touch (Unholy Infusion)


15th

+11/+6/+1

+5

+5

+9
Dark Whispers, Tenebrous Touch (8d6), Harrowing


16th

+12/+7/+2

+5

+5

+10
Two-World Eyes (Magical Darkness), Sense the Unseen


17th

+12/+7/+2

+5

+5

+10
Tenebrous Touch (9d6), Harrowing


18th

+13/+8/+3

+6

+6

+11
Bestial Resilience 20


19th

+14/+9/+4

+6

+6

+11
Tenebrous Touch (10d6), Harrowing


20th

+15/+10/+5

+6

+6

+12
Tenebrous Fury



Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Harrowed are proficient with all simple weapons, one martial weapon of their choice, and light armor.

The Monster Within (Su): The Harrowed shares her body and soul with a being of elemental power, dark purpose, and terrible will, constantly fighting it for control of her body and mind. Though the Harrowed can draw upon some of the beast’s power, in doing so she risks losing control; whenever the Harrowed uses one of her activated supernatural abilities from this class (as well as certain Harrowed feats – see feat descriptions for details), she must make a Will save (see the ability descriptions for save DCs) or lose control of her body to the monster for one round per character level (the ability is still activated as intended; that is, Tenebrous Touch still attacks its target, Tenebrous Mantles still activate, et cetera). The Harrowed may not choose to fail this save. If they succeed at the saving throw, they do not need to save again for that particular ability (or feat) for a number of rounds equal to their Charisma modifier.

The monster within the Harrowed is highly intelligent and invariably Chaotic Evil, but it knows it only has a limited amount of time in which to enjoy its freedom. While acts of murder, rape, destruction and betrayal are not out of line with the monster’s behavior, it is equally likely to party hard, kiss a random barmaid, gorge itself on fine food, and other indulgent behaviors. While the Harrowed is possessed in this manner, her player should treat her alignment as Chaotic Evil (if her player cannot be trusted to portray this, the DM is encouraged to treat her as an NPC for the duration). Generally speaking, the monster does not form long-term plans, unable to think past the next point of escape and freedom. The Harrowed's abilities and feats do not provoke Will saves against the Monster Within while the Harrowed is under its control.

It is worth noting that the monster prefers its body to be free and unencumbered, the better to cater to its whimsical nature. The Harrowed may wear light armor without penalty, but medium armor imposes a -4 penalty to Will saves against the monster, while heavy armor imposes a -8 penalty. The Harrowed suffers no such penalties for being encumbered, but it is highly likely that the monster will shed any offending items – such as backpacks – when it takes control.

Attempts to remove the monster from the Harrowed inevitably fail – spells fizzle out, powerful artifacts come to naught, and even greater deities strive in vain as their powers fail again and again. This trait is universal amongst Harrowed, and is a source of extreme speculation among those sages familiar with the Harrowed’s condition.

There is, however, a minor benefit to the monster’s presence in the Harrowed’s mind and body, beyond the power that the Harrowed can steal from it – the beast’s foul will bolsters the Harrowed’s own, providing them with a +4 bonus to will saves vs. mind-affecting abilities, as well as soul-displacement effects such as Trap the Soul and Magic Jar.

Tenebrous Touch (Su): The simplest expression of her power, the Harrowed can tap into the monster within, siphoning off a measure of its anger, its hatred, and its essence and unleashing it as a ranged touch attack (max range 60 feet). At first level, the Harrowed’s player chooses one of the following elements. This choice, once made, cannot be changed.

Hellfire: The Harrowed’s beast is suffused with unholy, chaotic flame. Her beast is likely to be destructive, violent, and impatient, like a malevolent wildfire. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is fire and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to any kind of resistance. Hellfire can ignite objects and beings on fire as though it were alchemist’s fire; a being who fails a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) ignites in unholy flame, lasting for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s class level or until they douse themselves in water or succeed at a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) to put it out.


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Hell's fire has many manifestations, all of them hostile.

Frigid Hate: The Harrowed’s beast is suffused with creeping, slithering cold, unfeeling and unforgiving. It is likely to be methodical, sadistic, and cunning. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is cold and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. Creatures struck by Frigid Hate must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls, reflex saves, and dexterity-based skill checks for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s class level. Frigid Hate may freeze five cubic feet of liquid per d6 of damage it deals, provided that said liquid is not a living being (thus, a Harrowed could freeze a pond, but not a water elemental).

Caustic Fury: The Harrowed’s beast is a spiteful, acidic thing, suffused with the worst elements of the earth beneath her feet. It is likely to be patient, unforgiving, and implacable. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is acid and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. Caustic fury clings to its victims, forcing them succeed at a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer half of the damage dealt (rounded down) the following round at the beginning of the Harrowed’s turn.

Sky's Rage: The Harrowed’s beast is infused with rotting wind and sickly lightning. It is likely to be devious, fickle, and tempestuous. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is electricity and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. The Tenebrous Touch is accompanied by an incredible flash of lightning, forcing all those within five feet of the victim to succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be partially blinded; all of their attacks suffer a 20% miss chance for one round per class level.

Sun's Wrath: The Harrowed's beast is infused with the pure destructive power of positive energy, turning the fundamental building block of life into a weapon of utter devastation. It is likely to be persistent, spontaneous, and obsessed with creation. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of damage, plus an additional 1d4 per two class levels thereafter (upgraded to 1d8 against beings normally damaged by positive energy, such as the undead), half of which is positive energy and the other half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind (note that this is positive energy damage, and thus does not heal beings normally healed by positive energy). This Tenebrous Touch may strike incorporeal creatures without penalty.

Death's Grasp: The Harrowed's beast is infused with the raw essence of the void, destroying all that it touches. It is likely to be cold, persistent, methodical and deadly. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is negative energy and the other half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind (undead and other beings normally healed by negative energy are still harmed by this ability; its violence simply overwhelms their natural ability to absorb the energy). Undead beings overload from being struck by this Tenebrous Touch; they must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be slowed for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed's class levels.

Indomitable Will: The Harrowed's beast is a being of pure, malevolent will, forcing itself on the world around it. It is likely to be charismatic, driven, and determined. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of damage, plus an additional 1d4 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is force damage and the other half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. Beings struck by the Harrowed's Tenebrous Touch must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be pushed five feet per class level in any straight line of the Harrowed's choosing (if the being's . Selecting this Tenebrous Touch inflicts a persistent -2 penalty on the Harrowed's Will saves.

Screaming Hatred: The Harrowed's beast howls its fury at its own imprisonment, sending its shrieks forth to destroy all it can touch. It is likely to be thoroughly insane, enraged, and spiteful. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of damage, plus an additional 1d4 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is sonic damage and the other half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. Beings struck by the Harrowed's Tenebrous Touch must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be deafened for 1d2+1 rounds.

Activating Tenebrous Touch is a standard action. Regardless of the element chosen, a Harrowed is immune to the damage and effects of her own Tenebrous Touch, though not those of other Harrowed, even those who have chosen the same element. Activating Tenebrous Touch provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 11.

At sixth level, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may infuse her melee weapon with her Tenebrous Touch, dealing Tenebrous Touch damage in addition to weapon damage for a single attack, as well as triggering the secondary effects of her Tenebrous Touch. This extra damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit. If the Harrowed misses, the attack is not wasted, and remains imbued in her weapon until she strikes a being or object, dismisses the effect as a free action, or fails to use it within a number of rounds equal to her charisma modifier. Infusing her weapon provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 16, though striking with her weapon thereafter does not.

At fourteenth level, once per day as a standard action, the Harrowed may forgo making a normal Tenebrous Touch attack and instead lash out with a ray of pure unholy energy. This attack deals the same damage as her Tenebrous Touch, though the source is pure unholy energy, not subject to any form of resistance. A being struck by this attack must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or die, overwhelmed by profane power. Good-aligned beings suffer a -2 penalty to this save. Using this ability in place of a normal Tenebrous Touch does not trigger the Tenebrous Touch’s normal secondary effects. Using this ability in place of her Tenebrous Touch provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 24.

Harrowings: At first level, and again every two levels thereafter, the Harrowed chooses a Harrowing from the list presented below; once made, this choice cannot be altered - any given Harrowed's Harrowings are theirs for life.

Two-World Eyes (Su): The energies of the beast within infuse the Harrowed, seeping into her senses and allowing her to sense those energies that are similar to it. Starting at second level, the Harrowed’s senses sharpen in a mostly mundane way; she gains darkvision out to a range of sixty feet (or her existing darkvision improves by sixty feet). Darkvision is exactly like normal vision, except that it is in black-and-white only, and the Harrowed can function just fine with no light at all.

Starting at tenth level, the Harrowed can see magical auras and manifestations; she benefits from a constant detect magic effect. Additionally, the Harrowed can sense those beings whose nature, like her beast’s, is formed of the fundamental blocks of creation; she automatically detects any creatures with the elemental type (or the air, cold, earth, fire, or water subtypes) within her field of vision, as though she enjoyed the benefits of a true seeing spell. The Harrowed automatically knows if the creature she perceives possesses the elemental type, as well as if it possesses any of the aforementioned subtypes.

Starting at sixteenth level, the Harrowed’s darkvision functions even in magical darkness, and her supernatural perception sharpens to incredible acuity; the Harrowed detects all beings with the elemental type, the outsider type, or the air, cold, earth, extraplanar, fire, or water subtypes as though she possesses blindsight out to sixty feet, but only with regard to those beings (when those beings are within that range, she may also perceive her surroundings in this manner, but not beings without the aforementioned types or subtypes). Nothing short of an antimagic field (or similar effects) may foil this perception.

A blind or otherwise visually-impaired Harrowed still benefits from these abilities, but her sense of sight is limited only to the supernatural sense granted by this ability; that is, at second level, a blind Harrowed may still “see” magical auras, at tenth level the Harrowed may still “see” beings with the proper types and subtypes, and at tenth level the Harrowed benefits from blindsight with regards to those beings with the proper types and subtypes, but she is still blind with regard to those beings and effects that do not fit those criteria.

Upon acquiring this ability, the Harrowed’s eyes change to a deep, clearly inhuman color, such as blood red, dark violet, or even a kaleidoscopic rainbow of colors. Many Harrowed develop catlike slits for pupils, or other, stranger shapes. The Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch often changes color to match that of her eyes.

Death Sight (Su): As a Harrowed’s power grows, she becomes more sensitive to resonances from the lands of the dead. Starting at fourth level, the Harrowed develops a sort of second sight relating to the dead; when she sees a corpse, no matter how old it is, she can instantly tell how long it has been dead, and what, in general, killed it (examples might include poison, lacerations, magical fire, and divine punishment). Additionally, if the corpse has been dead less than a number of days equal to the Harrowed’s class level, she may converse with it as though using speak with dead as a cleric of her class level. A Harrowed may only use this ability once on any given corpse.

The Harrowed may use this ability to determine if a being or corpse is or is not undead, and by what means (infection, spell, transformative process, et cetera) it joined the ranks of the unliving, if so.

Using Death Sight to speak with dead provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) at DC 12.

Tenebrous Mantle (Su): As the Harrowed’s stolen power grows, her body becomes more and more suffused with the dark elemental energies of the monster within her. With an act of will, a Harrowed of fifth level or higher may force these energies from her skin, becoming wreathed in a protective layer of Tenebrous energy. Once per encounter, as a swift action that does no provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may activate this ability. While this ability is active, she becomes shrouded in a raging manifestation of her Tenebrous energy. Any being striking her in melee with a natural or non-reach manufactured weapon takes Tenebrous Touch damage on their first successful attack, as well as suffering the secondary effect of the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch. Additionally, while her Tenebrous Mantle is active, the Harrowed has DR X/- against projectile attacks, where X is equal to her class level. This damage reduction counts against conjured projectiles (such as acid arrows), but not against rays or force effects (such as magic missiles).

Using Tenebrous Mantle provokes a Will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 15, and lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier.

After gaining this ability, the Harrowed’s footprints flicker and gutter with weak Tenebrous energy, adding a +5 circumstance bonus to those attempting to track her (with obvious exceptions made for common sense, such as cold energy in the arctic tundra), even when the ability is not active.

Glimpse the Soul (Su): The Harrowed’s senses continue to expand past the mundane, giving her glimpses of the auras that all beings with souls possess. Starting at level seven, she may concentrate and scrutinize these auras in order to gain information about their bearers. As a full-round action, the Harrowed may observe any being with a soul (including elementals, outsiders, and intelligent constructs) and make a sense motive check (DC = the creatures hit dice + its wisdom modifier). If she succeeds, the Harrowed may learn one of the following: one component of the creature’s alignment (good-evil, law-chaos), its current mood, its relative intelligence (in general terms; “animal intelligence” “stupid” “clever” and “brilliant” would all be appropriate readings), or if it is currently bearing any objects containing trapped souls. The Harrowed may attempt this check more than once on any given creature in a day, but each time she does, the DC increases by five.

Using Glimpse the Soul provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 15.

Evil Eye (Su): Temporarily shifting her soul from behind her eyes, a Harrowed of level eight or higher can allow her beast to glare out into the world, inflicting its hate and rage on unfortunate victims. Once per encounter, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may glare at her foe as a gaze attack. Her victim must succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer a -4 profane penalty to all ability scores, skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier.

Activating the Evil Eye provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 20.

Bestial Resilience (Su): As her Tenebrous energy continues to infuse her body, the Harrowed begins to develop a tolerance for it. At level nine, the Harrowed gains resistance 10 to whatever form of damage her Tenebrous Touch deals (acid, cold, electricity, fire, force, negative energy, positive energy, or sonic). At level 18, this improves to resistance 20.

Read the Soul (Su): Starting at level twelve, as a full-round action, the Harrowed can lock onto the aura of any intelligent being within her view. Activating this ability is a standard action, and while she concentrates on that being, the Harrowed may tell any of the following: if that being lies, if it activates a supernatural or spell-like ability, if it changes alignment (but not what alignment it changes to), or if it becomes possessed. A Harrowed may only read one aura at a time this way, and concentrating on the task takes a standard action each round to maintain.

Activating Read the Soul provokes a Will save (see The Monster Within), and maintaining it provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) every other round; both of these saves are against DC 20.

Scent the Occult (Su): As the Harrowed infuses more of herself with the stolen power of her beast, its senses continue to bleed through into her own. At level twelve, her sense of smell sharpens and takes on a supernatural edge, allowing her to hound down magic by scent. This functions almost identically to the scent special quality, with the exception that she may only detect magical beings (that is, beings with supernatural or spell-like abilities, or those beings capable of casting spells, or beings created by magic, such as certain undead and constructs) and effects this way. A Harrowed may track the movement of these beings and effects by scent, as well as being able to distinguish the type of magic she is dealing with (arcane or divine) and its source (inherent, learned, or granted).

Note that a Harrowed can only track where a spell or effect has been; she could, for example, follow the path of a programmed image, but she could not trace it back to its caster unless the image happened to pass near there.

A Harrowed can identify spells or magical items by scent, but doing so imposes a -8 penalty on the appropriate Knowledge (Arcana) or Spellcraft roll.

Dark Whispers (Ex): A Harrowed can, in a limited fashion, project their mind and afflict others with the dark whispers and desires of the monster within. Starting at level fifteen, twice per encounter, the Harrowed may activate this ability as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The Harrowed designates a victim, who immediately begins hearing insidious, whispering, demanding voices in his head, forcing him to succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or go insane for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier. While insane, the victim suffers a -6 penalty to wisdom and is unable to tell friend from foe, lashing out violently against the nearest available victims. Victims who succeed at the will save are immune to further uses of this ability – by any Harrowed – for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability.

Dark Whispers has an alternate effect on beings with intelligence scores that are normally immune to mind-affecting abilities; they must succeed at a Will save or the psychic shock of their intimate contact with the Harrowed's beast instead deals them 6d6 points of damage.

Harrowed are immune to the effects of Dark Whispers.

Activating this ability provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 25.

Sense the Unseen (Su): The most profound sharpening of her senses, a Harrowed of level sixteen or higher gains the ability to see even invisible or ethereal creatures. The Harrowed sees these creatures as though they were not invisible, though ethereal creatures appear somewhat transparent and hazy. A Harrowed may also sense the presence of nearby creatures on the Plane of Shadow, though she may only detect whether any such creatures are present within a forty foot radius of her, and not their exact type or location. Likewise, the Harrowed may sense the presence of incorporeal creatures within forty feet of her, but not their exact type or location.

Tenebrous Fury (Su): At level twenty, the Harrowed has mastered the most destructive and potent of her powers. Once per encounter, by tapping into her own rage and fury and magnifying it with that of her beast, she becomes a beacon of dark elemental energy, creating and releasing it at a prodigious rate. When she activates her Tenebrous Fury, the Harrowed can make her Tenebrous Touch attacks as attack actions; that is, she may make as many Tenebrous Touch attacks as her base attack bonus allows. Additionally, all of the Harrowed's melee attacks are imbued with her Tenebrous Touch. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier.

Activating Tenebrous Fury provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 34. Activating Tenebrous Fury is a free action.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-20, 09:50 PM
Harrowings
"I woke up this morning in a strange place, covered in blood, with half-foot claws that I didn't have yesterday. How do you think I feel?"
Aryllia, a Harrowed, responds to a friendly 'How are you?'

As a Harrowed's existence progresses, the monster within them begins to warp its prison, body and soul, either out of spite or in a futile attempt to free itself. These changes are almost never voluntary on the Harrowed's part (with the exception of the most twisted or subservient of Harrowed) and often happen seemingly overnight. While these Harrowings can benefit the Harrowed, sometimes greatly, most of them are decidedly uncomfortable with their lack of control over their own bodies, and are understandably conflicted about the benefits they gain thereby. It does not help that many of these changes make the Harrowed more bestial and more savage, furthering the distance the Harrowed maintain from everyday beings.

Some Harrowings have prerequisites; the Harrowed must meet all of these requirements before he can select that particular Harrowing. Any given Harrowing may only be selected once, unless its description says otherwise.

Several Harrowings give the Harrowed access to natural attacks; a Harrowed may only have up to three total natural attacks gained through this class, plus an additional one for every five class levels. Damage values listed for natural attacks are for medium Harrowed.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/FaxCelestis/Alcina_by_0Effe0.jpg
Harrowed gain increasing distance from humanity as their beast shapes them.

Bestial Senses (Ex)
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains keen senses; they gain a +2 racial bonus to Spot and Listen checks, as well as the Scent special quality. Listen and Spot become class skills for the Harrowed.

The range of the Harrowed's Scent the Occult ability doubles when she develops this Harrowing. The Harrowed can automatically differentiate between "mundane" scents and scents picked up by her Scent the Occult ability.

Bestial Agility (Ex)
Prerequisites: One or more other Harrowings, Climb 2 ranks
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing becomes extraordinarily agile, gaining a climb speed equal to half of their base land speed, as well as a +2 racial bonus to Jump and Swim checks. Jump and Swim become class skills for the Harrowed.

Hell-Born Savagery (Ex)
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing develops two primary claw attacks that deal 1d6 + strength modifier slashing damage. Whenever the Harrowed chooses to channel their Tenebrous Touch through melee attacks, she may choose to channel it through two separate claw attacks instead of a manufactured weapon (essentially allowing her to make two melee Tenebrous Touch attacks).

Nightmare Mind (Ex)
Prerequisites: Iron Will
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing enjoys a +2 profane bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells or abilities. Additionally, if she is targeted by an unwanted telepathic intrusion or assault, such as a dominate person spell or the ego whip power, the intrusion's originator must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or take 2d6 + the Harrowed's class level points of damage from the psychic shock.

Shadowed Soul (Ex)
Prerequisites: Tenebrous Mantle
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing becomes swathed in shade and starlight. Her existing darkvision improves by sixty feet, and she gains the ability to see through even magical darkness without penalty. Furthermore, she gains a +2 profane bonus to attack rolls made against foes in shadowy or darker illumination. The Harrowed gains the ability to use darkness at will as a spell-like ability, cast as a sorcerer of her class level.

Hell-Born Flight (Ex)
Prerequisites: Four or more other Harrowings
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains a pair of wings (wing design is up to the player) that grant him a sixty foot fly speed at Good maneuverability. Additionally, the Harrowed gains Hover as a bonus feat.

Hell-Born Butchery (Ex)
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains a bite as a secondary natural attack, dealing 1d8 + 1/2 strength modifier damage. Her bites also deal an additional 2d6 points of damage of the same type chosen for her Tenebrous Touch class feature, though it does not trigger the secondary effects.

Bestial Lunge (Ex)
Prerequisites: One or more other Harrowings
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains an additional ten feet added to his base land speed, as well as an extra five feet of reach. Unlike normal reach, the Harrowed's reach is not immediately apparent until she uses it; she lunges and snaps so quickly as to catch her opponents off guard.

Unbreakable Soul (Ex)
Prerequisites: Iron Will
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing is immune to negative levels and energy drain, as well as effects that would damage or alter her soul (with the exception of ressurection effects).

Lashing Tail (Ex)
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains a tail slap as a secondary natural attack; this tail slap deals 2d6 + 1/2 strength modifier bludgeoning damage.

Unholy Reach (Ex)
Prerequisites: Base Attack Bonus +6
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains two tentacles as secondary natural attacks; these tentacles deal 1d6 + strength modifier damage and have an additional five feet of reach beyond the Harrowed's normal reach (though the Harrowed still threatens beings adjacent to them with the tentacles).

Verminous Slither (Ex)
Prerequisites: Four or more other Harrowings
Effect: A Harrowed who develops this Harrowing gains a ten foot burrow speed. Additionally, the Harrowed gains tremorsense to a range of ten feet. The Harrowed's tunnels are self-sealing.

Aquatic Adaptation (Ex)
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains gills that allow her to breathe water just as easily as she breathes air. Additionally, the Harrowed does not suffer damage or ill effects from water pressure, though she is still subject to damage and/or penalties that may result from all other kinds of pressure, and the Harrowed gains a swim speed equal to her base land speed. Finally, the Harrowed may move and attack normally underwater, including the use of slashing and bludgeoning weapons, as well as thrown weapons and projectiles.

Unholy Resistance (Ex)
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains energy resistance equal to her class level plus her constitution modifier against any one energy type of her choice (if the Harrowed chooses an energy type that she has resistance to through Bestial Resistance, her resistance instead improves by an amount equal to her class level). Harrowed may select this Harrowing more than once.

Bestial Armor (Ex)
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains toughened hide, scales, chitin, or some other form of natural armor, gaining a natural armor bonus equal to her constitution modifier.

Profane Transcendence (Ex)
Prerequisites: Four or more other Harrowings
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing changes her type to either aberration or outsider (native) (player's choice). Additionally, she gains damage reduction X/lawful or good, where X is equal to her class level.

Otherworldly Senses (Ex)
Prerequisites: Bestial Senses, at least five other Harrowings
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains blindsight out to thirty feet. This blindsight ceases to function if all five of the Harrowed's senses are somehow invalidated; it resumes functioning once the Harrowed has at least one functioning sense (taste, touch, sight, smell, or hearing).

The Harrowed can automatically differentiate between the perceptions she gains from this ability and the perceptions she gains from her Two-World Eyes class feature.

Rending Gift (Ex)
Prerequisites: Five or more other Harrowings
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing has especially deadly natural attacks; the damage of all of her natural attacks increases by one die step. Additionally, if the Harrowed strikes an enemy with three or more natural attacks in a single round, they deal an additional amount of damage to that enemy equal to their class level (this extra damage is applied only up to once each round).

Profane Hunter (Ex)
Prerequisites: Bestial Senses, Hide 2 ranks, Move Silently 2 ranks
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains a +2 racial bonus to Hide, Move Silently, and Survival. Hide, Move Silently, and Survival become class skills for the Harrowed. Finally, the Harrowed may use Hide, Move Silently, and the tracking application of the Survival skill at her full movement speed without penalty.

Predatory Obfuscation (Ex)
Prerequisites: Profane Hunter, one other Harrowing
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing can use the Hide skill even while being observed, so long as she has cover or concealment. Furthermore, whenever the Harrowed successfully deals damage to a flat-footed opponent with either a natural weapon, manufactured weapon, or her Tenebrous Touch ability, that opponent suffers an additional 4d6 points of damage from the sheer ferocity of the attack.

Transcendent Stride (Ex)
Prerequisites: Two other Harrowings, Balance or Tumble 2 ranks
Effect: A Harrowing that develops this Harrowing moves with otherworldly grace, gaining a +2 racial bonus to Balance and Tumble checks. Balance and Tumble become class skills for the Harrowed. Furthermore, the Harrowed ignores the penalties to Balance and Tumble inflicted by difficult or dangerous terrain. The Harrowed may move across water and other liquids without sinking in (though she is still subject to the effects of making contact to said liquids; acid and lava still deal her damage when she walks across them, for example).

Unholy Communion (Su)
Prerequisites: Nightmare Mind, five or more other Harrowings
Effect: A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing can tap into the transcendent nature of her beast to communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.

Fiendish Sweep
Prerequisites: Lashing Tail
Effect: Whenever you make a successful strike with your tail slap, you may make a trip attempt against the struck enemy as a free action. You gain a +2 inherent bonus to the attempt, which does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and your victim cannot attempt to trip you back if you fail.

Unholy Constriction
Prerequisites: Unholy Reach, Base Attack Bonus +9
Effect: Whenever you strike an opponent with one of your tentacle attacks, you may initiate a grapple against that opponent as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. Both tentacle attacks are used in this grapple, granting you a +2 competence bonus to grapple rolls made as part of this Harrowing (but preventing you from making further tentacle attacks while you maintain the grapple). If you succeed, you begin to strangle and constrict your foe with your tentacles, providing you with a number of benefits in place of the normal grapple rules:

- As long as you remain within ten feet of your opponent, they remain immobilized (they cannot move or be moved out of their current space) rather than the normal effects of being grappled. They may still attempt to break free from the grapple once per round on their turn, rolling their Strength check or Escape Artist check against your grapple check as normal.

- Every round at the beginning of your turn, your victim takes damage as though struck by both of your tentacles. This does not trigger additional attacks or damage such as from the Rending Gift Harrowing or the Rake special ability.

- Whenever you channel your Tenebrous Touch through a melee attack, your victim takes damage as though struck in by your Tenebrous Touch, though they are not subject to its secondary effects.

- However, it takes intense focus to maintain such fine control over your opponent while still multitasking; saving throws vs. The Monster Within suffer a -4 circumstance penalty as long as you continue to grapple your victim in this fashion, as well as a -4 circumstance penalty to armor class and reflex saves. The grapple ends immediately if you move or are moved a greater distance from your victim than the total reach of your tentacles.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-20, 09:51 PM
Feats
The following feats are designed with the Harrowed class in mind.

Harrowed Feats: Feats marked with the [Harrowed] tag all require The Monster Within as a prerequisite. Additionally, many [Harrowed] feats add new supernatural abilities to a Harrowed character, or modify their existing supernatural features. If a [Harrowed] feat provokes a will save (see The Monster Within), use the class level that the Harrowed gained the feat at to determine the save DC.

Quiescent Beast [Harrowed]
Your beast is less disturbed by physical bindings on your person.
Prerequisites: Proficiency with medium armor
Benefit: You take no penalty to Will saves required by your The Monster Within class feature while wearing medium armor, and only a -4 penalty while wearing heavy armor.
Special: A Harrowed that selects this feat may not select the Refuse Bindings feat, and vice versa.

Refuse Bindings [Harrowed]
You can channel the fury of your beast to release yourself from bindings and grapples.
Benefit: As a move action, you may add your class level to all Strength checks or Escape Artists checks made to escape bindings or end a grapple for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier. Activating this feat provokes a Will save (see The Monster Within).
Special: A Harrowed that selects this feat may not select the Quiescent Beast feat, and vice versa.

Dark Deal [Harrowed]
You've struck a shadowy deal with your beast in order to gain some measure of control.
Prerequisites: Intelligence 13+
Benefit: Your beast will not violently lash out against your friends or loved ones while it has control of your body (see The Monter Within), nor will it publicly commit crimes that could lead to your incarceration or execution, unless taking either course of action is necessary to preserve your life. Additionally, while committing chaotic and/or evil actions, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Will saves provoked by your The Monster Within class feature.

Butchery Pact [Harrowed]
You appease your beast through murderous action.
Prerequisites: Non-good alignment, Dark Deal
Benefit: Whenever you kill a being with an intelligence score of three or higher you gain a +2 profane bonus to Will saves provoked by your The Monster Within class feature for the next 24 hours, as well as a +4 profane bonus on attack and damage rolls (including for spells and other abilities) for the same period.

Rob the Beast [Harrowed]
Prerequisites: Two or more Harrowed feats
Benefit: Choose one Harrowed class feature or Harrowed feat that has limited uses per day or per encounter. You gain an additional use of that class feature or feat per day or per encounter, as appropriate.
Special: You may select this feat more than once. Each time you select it, it applies to a different Harrowed class feature or Harrowed feat.

Piercing Energy [Harrowed]
Prerequisites: Tenebrous Touch 3d6
Benefit: Harrowed class features and Harrowed feats you possess that deal energy damage ignore an amount of energy resistance equal to 1.5 times your class level (rounded up). Creatures that are immune to energy damage remain immune.

Tenebrous Eruption [Harrowed]
You can send out mighty blasts of Tenebrous energy.
Prerequisites: Ability Focus (Tenebrous Touch), Tenebrous Touch 3d6
Benefit: In addition to using your Tenebrous Touch as a ranged tou ch attack, you may also manifest it as a 30 foot cone, an 80 foot line, or a 15 foot radius burst centered on (but not including) you. Instead of making a ranged touch attack or having creatures caught in the radius attempt the normal saving throws against your Tenebrous Touch's secondary effects, each victim is entitled to a Reflex save. Success indicates that they take half damage and do not suffer the secondary effects; failure indicates that they take full damage and suffer the secondary effects with no further save (a creature ignited by Hellfire may still make a save on the following rounds to put the fire out).

This feat may not be used on Tenebrous Touch attacks composed solely of unholy power.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/FaxCelestis/6719645f01934b412cab302fffd47c2c.png
A Harrowed erupts in Hellfire.


Whispers From the Past [Harrowed]
You can remember echoes of your past lives and apply them to your experiences today.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 15+, 6 ranks in two or more Knowledge skills
Benefit: You add your Wisdom modifier as a racial bonus to all Knowledge checks. You may make Knowledge checks untrained.

Forced Harrowing [Harrowed]
You have tapped into the power of your beast to intentionally alter your form.
Prerequisites: Three or more Harrowings
Benefit: Select an additional Harrowing. You gain the benefits of that Harrowing.
Special: You may take this feat more than once. Each time, you gain the benefits of an additional Harrowing.

Hunter in Darkness [Harrowed]
The beast within your soul is a predator, and this common trait between you enables you to better resist its pull when on the hunt.
Prerequisite: Two-World Eyes, Favored Enemy, Endurance
Benefit: Your Ranger and Harrowed levels stack for the purpose of calculating your Favored Enemy ability and your Tenebrous Touch damage and DC. You may apply the damage bonus from Favored Enemy to your Tenebrous Touch damage, and gain a +2 bonus to the DC of the touch against favored enemies.

Finally, the Harrowed may apply its Favored Enemy bonus to Will saves made to resist the beast for as long as he is pursuing the end of slaying or defeating a favored foe (so a Harrowed with Favored Enemy: Dragons +4 would gain a +4 bonus to saves made when using Tenebrous Touch against the creature, or even while infiltrating the creature's lair).

Tenebrous Shifting [Harrowed, Wild]
Your alternate forms are enhanced - or debased - by the beast within.
Prerequisites: Wild Shape ability, The Monster Within.
Benefit: Whenever you assume a new form with your Wild Shape ability, you retain any natural attacks that you already possess. If your new form would give you a natural attack of a type you already possess, that natural attack is instead treated as being one size larger. Changing forms with your Wild Shape ability provokes a Will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 18.

In addition, your levels in Druid and Harrowed (as well as levels in prestige classes that advance your Tenebrous Touch or Wild Shape class features) stack when determining the advancement of your Tenebrous Touch and Wild Shape class features.

Armoring Will [Harrowed]
You can channel your Shadowmental energy into a layer of armor, held in place by your unbreakable will.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 13+
The Harrowed gains a deflection bonus to their armor class equal to her Wisdom modifier. Furthermore, the effects of her Bestial Resilience extend to any object and/or structure they touch.

Phantom Blur [Harrowed]
Focusing on the darkness within, you blur your form, making you harder to target.
Prerequisites: Charisma 13+, Tenebrous Mantle
The Harrowed can blur her form with wrapped shadow and twilight; once per encounter, as a swift action, the Harrowed may activate this feat, forcing a 20% miss chance on all attacks directed against her for a number of rounds equal to her charisma modifier.

Phantom Rip [Harrowed]
You can draw upon your connection to the realms of the dead to strike like a vengeful ghost.
Prerequisites: Dexterity 15+, three or more other Harrowed feats
The Harrowed can strike like a vengeful ghost; as a standard action, the Harrowed can enter a state where all of her melee attacks become touch attacks, regardless of what weapon she is using (this state lasts for a number of rounds equal to one-fourth her class level, rounded down, minimum one round). Additionally, the Harrowed's natural attacks, as well as any weapons she wields, gain the ghost touch special property for as long as she is using them, regardless of whether or not the Harrowed has activated Phantom Rip.

Phantom Rip can be used a number of times per day equal to the Harrowed's charisma modifier.

Chains of Will [Harrowed]
You manifest chains of thought that help you gird your body and restrain your Beast.
Prerequisites: Iron Will, Tenebrous Mantle, three or more other Harrowed feats.
A Harrowed that develops this feat can manifest psychic chains of Tenebrous energy with which she restrains her beast; as a move action, she may manifest chains of Tenebrous energy that wrap around her body, providing her with a +6 armor bonus to armor class, as well as a -2 armor check penalty and 15% arcane spell failure. These chains are treated as light armor, and have a +1 enhancement bonus for every four class levels; the Harrowed may enchant her chains (or have them enchanted, if she is incapable of enchanting them herself) just like any other kind of armor. While these chains are manifested, the Harrowed enjoys a +1 insight bonus on Will saves against The Monster Within for every five class levels. Dismissing these chains is a swift action.

Tenebrous Assassin [Harrowed]
You have learned to deliver vicious Tenebrous Touch attacks to vulnerable opponents.
Prerequisites: Profane Hunter harrowing, Sneak Attack, Sudden Strike or Skirmish +2d6 or Death Attack class feature(s).
Effect: Whenever you make a Sneak Attack or Death Attack with your Tenebrous Touch, the save DC for its secondary effect and/or the save DC for your Death Attack increases by two. Additionally, you gain two free skill ranks in both Hide and Move Silently, up to your class skill maximum.

Select a single class you possess levels in that advances the Sneak Attack, Sudden Strike, Skirmish or Death Attack features. Your levels in Harrowed stack with levels in that class for the purposes of advancing those features.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-20, 09:53 PM
Prestige Classes

The following prestige classes have been created either with the Harrowed in mind, or to combine the Harrowed with another class concept. Prestige classes that advance a Harrowed's Tenebrous Touch count as Harrowed levels for the purposes of determining its save DC and the duration of its secondary effects; prestige classes that advance a Harrowed's Harrowings count as Harrowed levels for the purposes of determining their save DCs, if any, and the effects of any level-dependent features of individual Harrowings.

Gareth's Prestige Classes
None thus far

Other Contributors
- The Beast Sculpted (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9576356#post9576356) by Owrtho
- The Tenebrous Wisp (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5840073&postcount=2) by Owrtho

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-20, 09:54 PM
Additional Content

Harrowed in the World
Harrowed are very much a case-by-case class with regards to one's campaign setting and game, and their interactions with the game world are too diverse to make even generalizations about. However, there is one important subject that should be covered - Harrowed and agelessness. It's already been mentioned that natively ageless creatures do not become Harrowed, but there are several options that a living Harrowed might pursue in order to become immortal. These options are not recommended - death and rebirth are a part of being Harrowed, and breaking this cycle empowers the beast within and allows it to reach its grasping claws towards freedom. A Harrowed that ceases to age (that is, will never die of old age, as opposed to eternal youthfulness such as that provided by the druid class) does garner age penalties and bonuses. However, instead of gaining penalties to her physical ability scores and bonuses to her mental ability scores, the Harrowed gains bonuses to her physical ability scores and penalties to her mental ability scores as she continues her deathless state.

Additionally, the Harrowed becomes a beacon for extraplanar beings sworn to set the wrong right; any being with the lawful or evil subtype within ten miles of the Harrowed can sense a chilling wrongness with reality and is compelled to fix it in any way they deem necessary, including and especially slaying the Harrowed in question. If the Harrowed manages to evade these hunters and their allies, they are still consumed by the Beast Within after a period of approximately two thousand years, and reincarnate as a first level Harrowed of a randomly chosen race one to ten years afterwards, far away from the world upon which they incarnated previously.

Eurus
2011-02-20, 10:22 PM
(Firstly, let me note that I'm trying to balance to tier... 3, probably, since that seems to be the intended balance point here. Capable of doing one thing reasonably well, with some versatility when not in that particular situation. I'm not going to compare everything to what an optimized fullcaster can do, because that way lies only madness. Nor am I going to compare it to a core-only fighter.)

Does gaining the air or earth subtype from Profane Transcendence grant a fly or burrow speed? Air creatures are described as "always" having a fly speed, usually with perfect maneuverability, and earth as "usually" having a burrow speed, plus there's the fact that the air and earth subtypes don't really have any effect (compared to Fire and Cold's immunity/vulnerability combo) otherwise.

I find it odd that all Harrowed, regardless of their chosen Tenebrous Touch element, gain the ability to inflict negative levels with it at 14th level. It seems rather out of place for a Sun's Wrath Harrowed to suddenly start slinging negative energy, for example. A suggestion might be to either add multiple possible abilities depending on what type of Touch they have, or possibly just make the enervation thing a Harrowing or feat.

It occurs to me that Caustic Fury might be almost strictly better than Hellfire for plain damage. Hellfire technically exceeds it eventually, but the probability of a fight lasting so long is rather slim.

I'd like to bring up the possibility of putting a cap on number of natural attacks based on level. A 9th level Harrowed with Hell-Born Savagery, Hell-Born Butchery, Lashing Tail, Rending Gift, and Unholy Reach beats even a Totemist for sheer level of melee dakka, partially compensated for by the 3/4ths BAB but there's always Phantom Rip to compensate. Limiting natural attacks to two plus one for every five class levels past 1st would make it a lot less front-loaded.

I'm not a big fan of swift action save-or-lose effects like Dark Whispers (and if you go by the spellcaster argument, casters actually aren't likely to be quickening spells at 8th level...), but it's not necessarily a dealbreaker. The fact that it's mind-affecting helps a lot as a mitigating factor, so I dunno. I will suggest maybe swapping the level that you gain Dark Whispers and Evil Eye, since the former seems nastier than the latter. Actually, if you do that I could even see justifying Dark Whispers to have a reduced effect on creatures with immunity to mind-affecting abilities.

Tenebrous Fury is kind of... weirdly lackluster. Mostly because it's a big boon to ranged Harrowed, but melee Harrowed have been ripping people apart that efficiently for a while now. I feel like they need some love too, whether it's allowing them to imbue all of their attacks with their Touch at once or something else.

Still thinking over feats and additional harrowings. If anything occurs to me, I'll mention it.

Rainbow Servant
2011-02-20, 10:53 PM
Firstly, this is beautifully done. The mechanics are easy to understand, and line up with the flavour, so A++ for that.
Overall, it looks well balanced. Hard to break, and easy to remain useful both in and out of combat. And it has meaningful choices with a variety of options to provide that extra dash of customisation in a character,
I would jump at the chance to play one.

Now with that praise out the way, I have a few nitpicks... :smalltongue:
There are a number of references to Shadowmental Touch/Mantle instead of Tenebrous, I'm assuming.
Some of the class abilities might not fit every Harrowed ever, like the speak with dead option, but hey, that's what ACFs and Substitution levels are for, right?
And some of the Harrowings seem considerably weaker than others. Bestial Senses for example, gives Scent (which is outclassed at higher levels), and a flat +2 bonus to two cross class skills.
A scaling bonus, or making spot and listen into class skills could give it a little more oomph.

Other than that, I'm simply blown away. I eagerly await the feats and PrCs.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-20, 11:24 PM
Some Harrowings are intentionally weaker because they are available at lower levels than others. Bestial Senses now alters your class skills ^_^

Thanks for the critique so far, changes will be made.

Rainbow Servant
2011-02-21, 12:12 AM
Actually, I have a spare half hour, let's do this thing! (By which I mean a more in depth comparison of Harrowings)


Bestial Senses (Ex)
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains keen senses; they gain a +2 racial bonus to Spot and Listen checks, as well as the Scent special quality. Listen and Spot become class skills for the Harrowed.
Hmmm, yes, very good, very good :smallbiggrin:


Bestial Agility (Ex)
Prerequisites: One other Harrowing, Climb 6 ranks
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing becomes extraordinarily agile, gaining a climb speed equal to half of their base land speed, as well as a +2 racial bonus to Jump, Swim and Tumble checks.
Climb is cross-class, so it's a mid level option, but otherwise decent. +2 Swim is odd, I would've gone for Balance, but that's not a gamebreaker.


Hell-Born Savagery (Ex)
Prerequisites: Strength 13+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing develops two primary claw attacks that deal 1d6 + strength modifier slashing damage. Whenever the Harrowed chooses to channel their Shadowmental Touch through melee attacks, she may choose to channel it through two separate claw attacks instead of a manufactured weapon (essentially allowing her to make two melee Shadowmental Touch attacks).
Nice. A finessing build might grumble about the 13 Str, but this looks almost mandatory for a melee build.


Nightmare Mind (Ex)
Prerequisites: Iron Will
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing enjoys a +2 profane bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells or abilities. Additionally, if she is targeted by an unwanted telepathic intrusion or assault, such as a dominate person spell or the ego whip power, the intrusion's originator must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or take 2d6 points of damage from the psychic shock.
Decent, but the seconday effect is so situational I'd be tempted to make it deal Tenebrous Touch damage.


Shadowed Soul (Ex)
Prerequisites: Intelligence 13+, Tenebrous Mantle
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing becomes swathed in shade and starlight. Her existing darkvision improves by sixty feet, and she gains the ability to see through even magical darkness without penalty. Furthermore, she gains a +2 profane bonus to attack rolls made against foes in shadowy or darker illumination.
Solid. Great for sneaky types, too bad it's so difficult to make a stealthy Harrowed.


Armoring Will (Su)
Prerequisites: Wisdom 13+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains a deflection bonus to their armor class equal to one-half their Wisdom modifier (rounded up). Furthermore, the effects of their Bestial Resilience extend to any object and/or structure they touch.
Great on some builds, and it'll scale up without getting ridiculous. The Supernatural tag is interesting to see.


Hell-Born Flight (Ex)
Prerequisites: Dexterity 13+, four other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains a pair of wings (wing design is up to the player) that grant him a sixty foot fly speed at Good maneuverability. Additionally, the Harrowed gains Hover as a bonus feat.
Level 9 minimum, seems fair. Can't imagine myself ever not taking it, really.


Phantom Blur (Su)
Prerequisites: One other Harrowing
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing can blur her form with wrapped shadow and twilight; a number of times per day equal to her charisma modifier, attacks directed at the Harrowed suffer a 20% miss chance for a number of rounds equal to her class level. Activating Phantom Blur is a swift action.
Maybe stick on a Cha 13+ pre-req to make it match the others, but I like it. Swift action activation keeps it useful at lower levels when it doesn't last as long.


Hell-Born Butchery (Ex)
Prerequisites: Strength 13+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains a bite as a secondary natural attack, dealing 1d8 + strength modifier damage. Her bites also deal an additional 2d6 points of damage of the same type chosen for her Tenebrous Touch class feature, though it does not trigger the secondary effects.
Another nice toy for melee. The energy damage is a nice touch.


Bestial Lunge (Ex)
Prerequisites: Dexterity 13+, one other Harrowing
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains an additional ten feet added to his base land speed, as well as an extra five feet of reach. Unlike normal reach, the Harrowed's reach is not immediately apparent until she uses it; she lunges and snaps so quickly as to catch her opponents off guard.
I can see certain builds dipping a few levels of Harrowed just to grab this. (Not that I think that's bad thing at all. I'm all for it.)


Unbreakable Soul (Ex)
Prerequisites: Iron Will, Wisdom 15+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing is immune to negative levels and energy drain, as well as effects that would damage or alter her soul (with the exception of ressurection effects).
Very nice. Another potential choice for level dips.


Lashing Tail (Ex)
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains a tail slap as a secondary natural attack; this tail slap deals 2d6 + strength modifier bludgeoning damage.
More natural weapons. I though secondaries normally did half strength, is that intentional?


Unholy Reach (Ex)
Prerequisites: Dexterity 15+, Base Attack Bonus +6
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains two tentacles as secondary natural attacks; these tentacles deal 1d6 + strength modifier damage and have a ten foot reach (though the Harrowed still threatens beings adjacent to them with the tentacles).
:smalleek:


Verminous Slither (Ex)
Prerequisites: Dexterity 15+, four other Harrowings
A Harrowed who develops this Harrowing gains a ten foot burrow speed. Additionally, while burrowing, they benefit from tremorsense out to fifteen feet. The Harrowed's tunnels are self-sealing.
Interesting. You don't see too many classes handing out burrow speeds.


Aquatic Adaptation (Ex)
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains gills that allow her to breathe water just as easily as she breathes air. Additionally, the Harrowed does not suffer damage or ill effects from water pressure, though she is still subject to damage and/or penalties that may result from all other kinds of pressure, and the Harrowed gains a swim speed equal to her base land speed. Finally, the Harrowed may move and attack normally underwater, including the use of slashing and bludgeoning weapons, as well as thrown weapons and projectiles.
No pre-reqs? All the other alternate movements are available around 9th level, seems a little odd to allow this one straight out the bag.


Phantom Rip (Su)
Prerequisites: Dexterity 15+, four other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing can strike like a vengeful ghost; as a standard action, the Harrowed can enter a state where all of her melee attacks become touch attacks, regardless of what weapon she is using (this state lasts for a number of rounds equal to one-fourth her class level). Additionally, the Harrowed's natural attacks, as well as any weapons she wields, gain the ghost touch special property for as long as she is using them, regardless of whether or not the Harrowed has activated Phantom Rip.

Phantom Rip can be used a number of times per day equal to the Harrowed's charisma modifier.
This looks quite powerful. Iunno... not gonna call it broken unless someone playtests it, but it's worth keeping an eye on.


Unholy Resistance (Ex)
Prerequisites: Constitution 13+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains energy resistance equal to her class level plus her constitution modifier against any one energy type of her choice.
Decent choice. I might even exempt it from the once only clause.


Bestial Armor (Ex)
Prerequisites: Constitution 13+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains toughened hide, scales, chitin, or some other form of natural armor, gaining a natural armor bonus equal to her constitution modifier.
Very nice. I think it might top the dippable Harrowings.


Profane Transcendence (Ex)
Prerequisites: Six other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing changes her type to either aberration or outsider (native). Additionally, she gains one of the following subtypes, depending on her Tenebrous Touch: Fire (Hellfire or Sun's Wrath), Cold (Frigid Hate or Death's Grasp), Air (Sky's Rage or Screaming Hatred), or Earth (Caustic Fury or Indomitable Will).
Does that provide all the traits that normally come with aberration or outsider type? Seems a bit... weak otherwise.


Otherworldly Senses (Ex)
Prerequisites: Bestial Senses, Wisdom 15+, at least five other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains blindsight out to thirty feet. This blindsight ceases to function if all five of the Harrowed's senses are somehow invalidated; it resumes functioning once the Harrowed has at least one functioning sense (taste, touch, sight, smell, or hearing).
I'm always happy to see more ways to gain blindsight.


Rending Gift (Ex)
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike or Improved Natural Attack, three other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing has especially deadly natural attacks; the damage of all of her natural attacks increases by one die step. Additionally, if the Harrowed strikes an enemy with three or more natural attacks in a single round, they deal an additional amount of damage to that enemy equal to their class level (this extra damage is applied only up to once each round).
Wow, that's good on a natural attack build.

A lot of choices - two Harrowed can reach Epic levels before doubling up on each other, so that's nice.
Nothing particularly scary or game breaking, and I like that each of the different natural attacks has something unique going for it.
There's a definite bestial (duh) feel to most of it, with some spookiness on the side.

A couple of ideas off the top of my head:
Bestial Stalker - gain hide and move silently as class skills, maybe HiPS. Could be split into a chain, like with Senses.
A Telepathy based chain - but not sure how to fit it in to the flavour of the class. Fear effects are obvious, but kinda weak.

Fizban
2011-02-21, 04:48 AM
Some of the class abilities don't list in their descriptions what level they're gained at, making it difficult to immediately judge what the will save DC is. In fact, since it's set for each ability, I'd suggest just listing the DC with each ability. This would also let you drop the will save bonus/penalties for the sensing and capstone abilities by just including them in the listed DC. I think the text makes it clear enough that Harrowings are supposed to provoke will saves, but it would be good to repeat that in the Harrowing section for clarity.

One thing that irks me a little bit is all the swift action abilities. Don't get me wrong, swift actions are awesome, but it seems like a serious trap to give out so many easily usable abilities that will all provoke will saves. It is a big part of the class, but I know as a player I'd absolutely hate to get screwed over when I'm using my "boost" (imbuing Touch on melee weapon) before even attacking.

Finally, I'm seeing a lot of awesome options for melee (enough for do-it-yourself Shoggoth), but I'm seeing absolutely nothing for area blasting or other spell-like effects. The easiest comparison for the class is Warlock after all, and Shadowed Soul is screaming for a Darkness SLA, for example. The Harrowings may not be the best place as they seem to be more for manifestations of beastiness rather than new applications of existing power, but maybe some feats at least. I'm also a little disappointed in Armored Will and Profane Transcendence. Armored Will is a tiny tiny bonus and won't stack with items while Bestial Armor takes the full bonus of the second most important stat for everyone and stacks with items. I'd give Armored Will the full monk treatment, or at least allow the full bonus. Profane Transcendence is just a waste, at most invalidating a couple minor spells and giving you immunity to fire or cold (which will overlap with your existing resistance). I'd sling out some DR/good and/or serious immunities.

And speaking of immunities, I'm surprised they don't eventually get immunity to mind affecting. Even Binders with their weak little soul-sharing can manage that.

nonsi
2011-02-21, 08:40 AM
I haven't run the numbers yet, but as far as flavor goes, this one's a winner :cool:

Realms of Chaos
2011-02-21, 12:28 PM
Glad to see that you've finally expanded this to a huge degree. This is truly the best version yet and so you deserve some real applause.

I want to look through the harrowings quickly.



Bestial Senses (Ex)
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains keen senses; they gain a +2 racial bonus to Spot and Listen checks, as well as the Scent special quality. Listen and Spot become class skills for the Harrowed.

Actually, I see a bit of a problem with this ability. It kind of ruins your Scent the Occult class feature for two reasons.
1. The scent that you gain is out to the same exact range and is far more versatile.
2. The only reason that Scent the Occult lets you know that there is magic nearby is because you literally can't pick up any other scents. With this ability, there is no mechanical difference between the scent of a person and the scent of a major image/mage unless you tell us so.
I recommend putting in text that doubles the range of scent the occult when you get it and that explicitly allows you to discern between scents picked up through this ability and through that class feature.


Bestial Agility (Ex)
Prerequisites: One other Harrowing, Climb 6 ranks
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing becomes extraordinarily agile, gaining a climb speed equal to half of their base land speed, as well as a +2 racial bonus to Jump, Swim and Tumble checks.

This ability is kind of weird. Judging by the prerequisites alone, you'd think that it was intended as a 3rd level option but as climb is a cross-class skill, you can't get it until 9th level, when you could be selecting flight/burrowing as far superior options (barring multiclassing, of course). I suggest lowering the prereqs to one other harrowing and Climb 2 ranks (forcing you to spend 4 skill points). Also, would it be possible to add those skills as class skills (or perhaps have a player select two out of those three skills when you gain the ability to gain a +2 bonus and become class skils).


Nightmare Mind (Ex)
Prerequisites: Iron Will
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing enjoys a +2 profane bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells or abilities. Additionally, if she is targeted by an unwanted telepathic intrusion or assault, such as a dominate person spell or the ego whip power, the intrusion's originator must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or take 2d6 points of damage from the psychic shock.

Seems to me that this ability should scale a bit, perhaps adding your class level to the damage dealt.


Profane Transcendence (Ex)
Prerequisites: Six other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing changes her type to either aberration or outsider (native). Additionally, she gains one of the following subtypes, depending on her Tenebrous Touch: Fire (Hellfire or Sun's Wrath), Cold (Frigid Hate or Death's Grasp), Air (Sky's Rage or Screaming Hatred), or Earth (Caustic Fury or Indomitable Will).

I'm curious. Why would someone select this (other than for flavor, of course).


Otherworldly Senses (Ex)
Prerequisites: Bestial Senses, Wisdom 15+, at least five other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains blindsight out to thirty feet. This blindsight ceases to function if all five of the Harrowed's senses are somehow invalidated; it resumes functioning once the Harrowed has at least one functioning sense (taste, touch, sight, smell, or hearing).

There's a bit of overlap between this and two-world eyes. You may want to specify somehwere that you can still identify "all beings with the elemental type, the outsider type, or the air, cold, earth, extraplanar, fire, or water subtypes" within the range of both abilities from among all creatures that your blindsight detects.

You may want to return some of the old feats like dark pact (seeing as having the beast not murder friends/send you to jail is desirable).

In fact, here's a new feat that hasn't been in any prior version of the class. Something for multi-classing harrows, I suppose.

Bound Beast
The beast within you is used to having its body restrained.
prerequisites: The Monster Within class feature, Proficiency with medium armor
Benefits: You take no penalty to will saves while wearing medium armor and only a -4 penalty while wearing heavy armor.
Special: You may not select this feat if you possess the refuse all bindings feat.

And one that I'm surprised you've never made. :smallconfused:

Refuse All Bindings
The beast within you refuses to be bound, breaking you free of restraints.
Prerequisites: The Monster Within class feature
Benefits: As a full-round action, you may add your class level as a Profane bonus to a single Strength check or Escape Artist check to escape from bindings or to a Grapple check made to end a grapple. Using this ability provokes a will save (see The Monster Within).
Special: You may not select this feat if you possess the bound beast feat.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-22, 06:32 PM
Thanks for the ideas and edits, folks; the following changes have been made:

- Harrowings that provide bonuses to skills now cause those skills to become class skills.

- Bestial senses no longer overshadows Scent the Occult

- Otherworldly Senses no longer overshadows Two-World Eyes.

- Profane Transcendence now adds DR/Lawful or Good = class level.

- Armoring Will is now equal to your Wisdom modifier.

More Harrowings and feats will be added shortly. Keep the feedback coming folks - it's helping! I'm also taking any volunteers for PrC creation, especially for multiclass PrCs. Thanks muchly!

Realms of Chaos
2011-02-22, 07:02 PM
Actually, looking at the harrowings, I just got a totally random idea...

Looking at bestial agility, it looks like you might be able to take away the bonus to tumble checks and include a new ability like the one below.

[b]Bestial Stride (Ex)
Prerequisites: Two other harrowings, Balance or Tumble 2 ranks
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing can move with incredible grace, gaining a +2 racial bonus to Balance and Tumble checks. Balance and Tumble become class skills for the Harrowed. Lastly, the Harrowed may move along the surface of liquids and similar surfaces incapable of supporting thier weight. If the Harrowed ends their movement upon such a surface, they drop through it as normal.

I was just overtaken by the image of a frost-based Harrowed running across a lake and leaving icy footprints in its wake.

Then again, that might just be me being silly.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-22, 07:49 PM
Changes
- Added Profane Hunter, Predatory Obfuscation, Transcendent Stride, and Unholy Communion to the Harrowings.

- Added two additional feats.

radmelon
2011-02-22, 08:03 PM
I'm so glad that this project has returned! The Harrowed has to be one of my most favorite homebrew classes ever. The original thread was one of the factors that lead to me joining the GitP forums. :smallbiggrin:

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-22, 11:06 PM
I'm so glad that this project has returned! The Harrowed has to be one of my most favorite homebrew classes ever. The original thread was one of the factors that lead to me joining the GitP forums. :smallbiggrin:

Aww, you make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Or that might be the plane-devouring abomination, who knows.

Feats are up and running at a steady pace, and I'm more than happy to take suggestions, especially for class-crossover feats!

ErrantX
2011-02-23, 12:16 AM
You asked me once to make a Harrowed / Ebon Initiate cross. Well, gauntlet thrown, gauntlet picked up and smacked across your face. Let's kick it, expect hilarity and in all seriousness an awesome prestige class.

-X

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-23, 12:19 AM
You asked me once to make a Harrowed / Ebon Initiate cross. Well, gauntlet thrown, gauntlet picked up and smacked across your face. Let's kick it, expect hilarity and in all seriousness an awesome prestige class.

-X

Feel free to make multiclassing feats as well. The Harrowed can have some great synergy with certain archetypes, such as paladins or warlocks (or even, as Djinn once pointed out, psychics - demonic mind-crush, anyone?).

Garryl
2011-02-23, 01:07 AM
Rather than having the save DC for Monster Within be dependent on the level that a given class feature is gained, wouldn't it be simpler to just list the save DC for each ability (especially with all the abilities that give bonuses or penalties on their own Monster Within saves)? That way, you could remove the need to list a bonus or penalty when you want to adjust the effective save DC slightly, and it will be easier to tell what the save DC is. Thus, Tenebrous Touch would be DC 11, it's melee weapon infusion would be DC 16, the unholy infusion ray at 14th would be DC 24, Death Sight is DC 12, Tenebrous Mantle is DC 15, Glimpse the Soul is DC 15, Evil Eye is DC 20, Read the Soul is DC 20, Dark Whispers is DC 25, and Tenebrous Fury is DC 34. It would also explain what the save DC is for Harrowed feats (which aren't class features, as thus do not usually have minimum class levels required).

Tenebrous Touch:

Half of the damage of these effects ignore resistances, but are they still stopped by immunities? Or is the unholy power just another word for untyped damage, and not a special form of the basic energy type?

The fire, cold, electricity, and acid versions of this ability specify that they deal 1d6 damage per two levels, starting at level 1. Does this mean that they deal 1d6 damage + 1d6 per 2 levels beyond first, or does it mean 1d6 per two levels, minimum 1d6? The class table seems to indicate the former, but some clarification would be nice. Similarly, the positive, negative, force, and sonic versions of this ability lack the text indicating that it starts at level 1, which implies that they actually deal no damage until 2nd level.

Sky's Rage: The partial blinding does not have a listed duration. Is it supposed to last indefinitely until cured by an effect that removes blindness? Or is it supposed to last up to 1 round/class level, like most of the other Tenebrous Touch options.

Sun's Wrath: Are living creatures healed by the positive energy? How does this interact with creatures that are neither healed or harmed by positive energy, like constructs?

Death's Grasp: Are undead creatures healed by the negative energy? By default, they are.


Two-World Eyes: References the Shadowmental Touch ability, which is now the Tenebrous Touch ability.

Death's Sight: When you talk about telling how a corpse joined the ranks of the unliving, you're referring to how an undead creature (not a corpse anymore) became undead, right? Or is it supposed to be used to tell if a destroyed undead creature (back to a corpse) became an undead creature in the first place (before it was destroyed)?

Dark Whispers: Do creatures immune to mind-affecting abilities gain the same Will save to negate the damage done?

Harrowings:

Several of these abilities grant natural attacks. Are the values listed for the attacks' base damage for Medium creatures, or are they independent of the Harrowed's size?

Nightmare Mind: Does the backlash apply against telepathy and all mind-affecting effects or just those that allow for mental contact?

Hell-Born Flight: Fly speeds with Good maneuverability can hover by default. This makes the Hover feat redundant in most cases.

Hell-Born Butchery: Secondary natural attacks normally only add half the attacker's Strength modifier to damage.

Lashing Tail: Secondary natural attacks normally only add half the attacker's Strength modifier to damage.

Unholy Reach: Secondary natural attacks normally only add half the attacker's Strength modifier to damage. Also, is the 10 foot reach independent of the Harrowed's normal reach, or is it just for those with only 5 foot reach? If it's supposed to depend on the Harrowed's normal reach, how does it react to changing reaches, such as through size or the Bestial Lunge ability? Is it normal reach plus 5 feet, or is it twice the normal reach (like a spiked chain)?

Verminous Slither: Is there any reason that the Harrowed does not gain the tremorsense when not burrowing? It seems to reward a play-style of entrenching yourself 5 feet in the ground at all times for superior senses (and is irrelevant when not on the ground since tremorsense wouldn't work anyways).

Unholy Resistance: Does this stack with the resistance granted by Bestial Resilience?

Profane Transcendence: The text here switches from 3rd person singular to 3rd person plural at the end ("she" to "their"). How is the type change decided, player's choice?

Otherworldly Senses: Does Bestial Senses count towards the 5 other Harrowings?


Feats:

Rob the Beast: That's supposed to grant one additional use per day or per encounter (as appropriate to the ability in question), right? It's not just a one-time thing, then.


Also, it looks like DragoonWraith made a Harrowed/Xenotheurgy PrC a while back (obviously working off the previous version). It's called the Beast Without (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145547).

Nopraptor
2011-02-23, 12:44 PM
SAVED!

good class man, I don't have alot of balance knowledge but except for some polishing it's really awesome. (reminds me of Naruto)

have a cookie

Pyromancer999
2011-02-23, 03:42 PM
Just an idea here: The class mainly assumes an unholy being is trapped, right? Well, the some of the attitude of a Monster Within sounds a bit like a fey, so perhaps there should be a couple Harrowings or something based around the fey. Maybe even a thing or two for fallen angels. Again, just an idea.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-23, 07:28 PM
Rather than having the save DC for Monster Within be dependent on the level that a given class feature is gained, wouldn't it be simpler to just list the save DC for each ability (especially with all the abilities that give bonuses or penalties on their own Monster Within saves)? That way, you could remove the need to list a bonus or penalty when you want to adjust the effective save DC slightly, and it will be easier to tell what the save DC is. Thus, Tenebrous Touch would be DC 11, it's melee weapon infusion would be DC 16, the unholy infusion ray at 14th would be DC 24, Death Sight is DC 12, Tenebrous Mantle is DC 15, Glimpse the Soul is DC 15, Evil Eye is DC 20, Read the Soul is DC 20, Dark Whispers is DC 25, and Tenebrous Fury is DC 34. It would also explain what the save DC is for Harrowed feats (which aren't class features, as thus do not usually have minimum class levels required).

I'll get around to this eventually. Should I put the DCs in the description for The Monster Within, or the abilities themselves?


Tenebrous Touch:
Half of the damage of these effects ignore resistances, but are they still stopped by immunities? Or is the unholy power just another word for untyped damage, and not a special form of the basic energy type?

It's another word for untyped damage; their blasts are basically an unholy version of flame strike.


The fire, cold, electricity, and acid versions of this ability specify that they deal 1d6 damage per two levels, starting at level 1. Does this mean that they deal 1d6 damage + 1d6 per 2 levels beyond first, or does it mean 1d6 per two levels, minimum 1d6? The class table seems to indicate the former, but some clarification would be nice. Similarly, the positive, negative, force, and sonic versions of this ability lack the text indicating that it starts at level 1, which implies that they actually deal no damage until 2nd level.

I'll tidy up the wording, but the table is correct; progression follows Sneak Attack, not Eldritch Blast.


Sky's Rage: The partial blinding does not have a listed duration. Is it supposed to last indefinitely until cured by an effect that removes blindness? Or is it supposed to last up to 1 round/class level, like most of the other Tenebrous Touch options.

My bad. One round/class level is correct.


Sun's Wrath: Are living creatures healed by the positive energy? How does this interact with creatures that are neither healed or harmed by positive energy, like constructs?

The word "damage" automatically negates any healing that would normally take place, and the weaponized positive energy can, in fact, harm non-living beings and even objects.


Death's Grasp: Are undead creatures healed by the negative energy? By default, they are.

I'll mention that undead are harmed by this negative energy, which overloads them rather than infusing their forms like more graceful applications of undeath would.


Two-World Eyes: References the Shadowmental Touch ability, which is now the Tenebrous Touch ability.

Fix'd


Death's Sight: When you talk about telling how a corpse joined the ranks of the unliving, you're referring to how an undead creature (not a corpse anymore) became undead, right? Or is it supposed to be used to tell if a destroyed undead creature (back to a corpse) became an undead creature in the first place (before it was destroyed)?

It's supposed to aid in identifying functioning undead; wording will be fixed.


Dark Whispers: Do creatures immune to mind-affecting abilities gain the same Will save to negate the damage done?

Yes; wording will be fixed.


Harrowings:
Several of these abilities grant natural attacks. Are the values listed for the attacks' base damage for Medium creatures, or are they independent of the Harrowed's size?

Yes; clarified in the main Harrowing description now.


Nightmare Mind: Does the backlash apply against telepathy and all mind-affecting effects or just those that allow for mental contact?

Anything that makes mental contact, as well as all powers of the Telepathy discipline. Sadly, the DM must be the final judge.


Hell-Born Flight: Fly speeds with Good maneuverability can hover by default. This makes the Hover feat redundant in most cases.

But not all cases, and it's not like Hover is broken; it stays.


Unholy Reach: Secondary natural attacks normally only add half the attacker's Strength modifier to damage. Also, is the 10 foot reach independent of the Harrowed's normal reach, or is it just for those with only 5 foot reach? If it's supposed to depend on the Harrowed's normal reach, how does it react to changing reaches, such as through size or the Bestial Lunge ability? Is it normal reach plus 5 feet, or is it twice the normal reach (like a spiked chain)?

Normal reach + five feet; reach wording has been clarified.


Verminous Slither: Is there any reason that the Harrowed does not gain the tremorsense when not burrowing? It seems to reward a play-style of entrenching yourself 5 feet in the ground at all times for superior senses (and is irrelevant when not on the ground since tremorsense wouldn't work anyways).

Tremorsense has been reduced to ten feet and made always on.


Unholy Resistance: Does this stack with the resistance granted by Bestial Resilience?

Sort of; text added in (parentheses).


Profane Transcendence: The text here switches from 3rd person singular to 3rd person plural at the end ("she" to "their"). How is the type change decided, player's choice?

Player's choice


Otherworldly Senses: Does Bestial Senses count towards the 5 other Harrowings?

No, hence the use of the phrase "other Harrowings".


Feats:
Rob the Beast: That's supposed to grant one additional use per day or per encounter (as appropriate to the ability in question), right? It's not just a one-time thing, then.

Correct on the /day or /encounter thing; wording will be clarified.


Also, it looks like DragoonWraith made a Harrowed/Xenotheurgy PrC a while back (obviously working off the previous version). It's called the Beast Without (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145547).

DragoonWraith may choose to update this PrC on another forum, but I cannot speak for him. I won't be linking old PrCs until or unless they get updated.

Thanks for the ideas everyone! For your delight, I've added some pictures in spoilers through the various posts - enjoy 'em!

NineThePuma
2011-02-23, 10:27 PM
... "The Monster Within" suddenly struck me as "The Stereotypical D&D Player When Their Impulses Get Out Of Hand" based on the description.

Ganurath
2011-02-23, 10:32 PM
Indomitable Will is completely worth the saving throw penalty. I'm going to have to talk to my IRL DM about this class.

Recommended Feat: Force of Personality.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-23, 10:33 PM
Indomitable Will is completely worth the saving throw penalty. I'm going to have to talk to my IRL DM about this class.

Recommended Feat: Force of Personality.

If your DM is unwise enough to allow it, Unnatural Will is better. Do you feel the penalty should be higher? -3? -4?

Ganurath
2011-02-23, 10:35 PM
I'll let you know after I get a chance to field test this baby. I'm just gushing, though. You may want to clarify, though: Is the -2 to saves to resist the beast, or all Will saves?

Edit: May also want to clarify whether that untyped penalty that Frigid Hate inflicts is cumulative.

Edit2: What happens when you use an ability that requires a saving throw while the beast is in control?

Rainbow Servant
2011-02-23, 10:41 PM
So, I quickly threw this together. Opinions?

Shifter Harrowed Substitution Levels:

SHIFTER HARROWED
The savage nature of shifters is both a help and hindrance to those carrying the burden of the harrowed. Their understanding of its primal hunger allows them some freedom from the beast’s dark influence, but never for long.
Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To take a shifter harrowed substitution level, a character must be a shifter about to take his 1st, 3rd, or 9th level of harrowed.
Class Skills
Shifter harrowed substitution levels remove Decipher Script and Speak Language from the class skills list, but add Spot and Listen.

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).

Class Features
All the following are features of the shifter harrowed’s racial substitution levels.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A 1st level shifter harrowed does not gain proficiency with a martial weapon.
The Monster Within (Su): A 1st level shifter harrowed who fails a will save against the monster within while shifting does not lose control until he or she stops shifting.
Subsumed Harrowing: At 3rd level, the shifter harrowed does not gain a harrowing. Instead, they gain a bonus shifter feat, and all harrowed feats are considered to be shifter feats for the purposes of determining the duration and uses per day of their shifting.
Beasthide Resistance (Ex): A 9th level shifter harrowed gains DR/Silver equal to the number of harrowings and shifter feats he or she possesses. This feature replaces Bestial Resilience and any improvements it may receive.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-24, 02:01 AM
I'll let you know after I get a chance to field test this baby. I'm just gushing, though. You may want to clarify, though: Is the -2 to saves to resist the beast, or all Will saves?

All saves, my friend - you try to concentrate with the psychic equivalent of Orcus howling battle cries and declarations of murderous intent into your head all day, every day. Also, enjoy your persistent nightmares, sleep deprivation, and paranoia.


Edit: May also want to clarify whether that untyped penalty that Frigid Hate inflicts is cumulative.

It doesn't, but I'm considering making it scaling. 1/2 class level, perhaps?


Edit2: What happens when you use an ability that requires a saving throw while the beast is in control?

No further saves while the beast is in command; wording will be clarified.


So, I quickly threw this together. Opinions?

Shifter Harrowed Substitution Levels:

SHIFTER HARROWED
The savage nature of shifters is both a help and hindrance to those carrying the burden of the harrowed. Their understanding of its primal hunger allows them some freedom from the beast’s dark influence, but never for long.
Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To take a shifter harrowed substitution level, a character must be a shifter about to take his 1st, 3rd, or 9th level of harrowed.
Class Skills
Shifter harrowed substitution levels remove Decipher Script and Speak Language from the class skills list, but add Spot and Listen.

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).

Gravy so far, mechanically, but I'm not certain that racial substitutions are really the way to go for Harrowed. I mean, the folks put on new races all the time (in fact, every time they die and can't get raised). It's not like, say, elves or dwarves are extra practiced at being Harrowed.


Class Features
All the following are features of the shifter harrowed’s racial substitution levels.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A 1st level shifter harrowed does not gain proficiency with a martial weapon.
The Monster Within (Su): A 1st level shifter harrowed who fails a will save against the monster within while shifting does not lose control until he or she stops shifting.

From a mechanical standpoint I can't see a problem, but from a flavor standpoint I would like to take this opportunity to say hell no. Your little were-bloodline doesn't impress the Beast Within and it's not about to stop it.


Subsumed Harrowing: At 3rd level, the shifter harrowed does not gain a harrowing. Instead, they gain a bonus shifter feat, and all harrowed feats are considered to be shifter feats for the purposes of determining the duration and uses per day of their shifting.

Nifty. Not certain if it's worth a Harrowing or not, but nifty.


Beasthide Resistance (Ex): A 9th level shifter harrowed gains DR/Silver equal to the number of harrowings and shifter feats he or she possesses. This feature replaces Bestial Resilience and any improvements it may receive.

Edit bolded for emphasis, though = class level may also be appropriate.

Ganurath
2011-02-24, 02:19 AM
All saves, my friend - you try to concentrate with the psychic equivalent of Orcus howling battle cries and declarations of murderous intent into your head all day, every day. Also, enjoy your persistent nightmares, sleep deprivation, and paranoia.The current party in the campaign in question is on Orcus' personal hit list, ironically enough. I imagine my test character will have mannerisms similar to the werebear from the Darken webcomic. Rather than a full moon transforming him, it would be a lapse in his focus on not being a bear.

Rainbow Servant
2011-02-24, 02:24 AM
Well it was something that jumped into my brain, so I just rolled with it. I actually don't have access to shifter stats (any specific setting material, really), so I worked off memory.
I guess I can understand why racial subs wouldn't make as much sense for the harrowed as they do for other classes, but I do enjoy it when races are than just +2 to a primary stat.


From a mechanical standpoint I can't see a problem, but from a flavor standpoint I would like to take this opportunity to say hell no. Your little were-bloodline doesn't impress the Beast Within and it's not about to stop it.
Heh, yeah, it doesn't make a whoooole lot of sense (okay, okay, none at all). I mentioned this was a rush job, right? :smalltongue:
But hey, if a successful will save can stop it doing anything at all, a huge rush of shapechanger adrenaline can delay it just a little maybe.


Nifty. Not certain if it's worth a Harrowing or not, but nifty.
Well, there's a feat that gives you a harrowing, so trading the other way around doesn't seem too bad.


Edit bolded for emphasis, though = class level may also be appropriate.I'll go edit that in.

Welp, your class, so it's your call, but I kinda enjoyed writing it up (so much easier than PrCs too), and I'd like to do more. I could stick to more supernatural races (Illumians, Azurins, what have you), might fit the theme better.

Also, I was thinking of multiclass feats (daring outlaw, etc) and was wondering if you had a preferred name for the Harrowed.
I was thinking Beastborn. eg: Beastborn Ascetic = Harrowed/Monk

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-24, 02:34 AM
Well it was something that jumped into my brain, so I just rolled with it. I actually don't have access to shifter stats (any specific setting material, really), so I worked off memory.
I guess I can understand why racial subs wouldn't make as much sense for the harrowed as they do for other classes, but I do enjoy it when races are than just +2 to a primary stat.

Oh I fully understand, but you may agree that the themes of the Harrowed itself have a tendency to overshadow racial themes, unless one is concentrating very hard on portraying a Harrowed's attempts to be accepted as an elf or a changeling or whatever. Harrowed start out conflicted and end up truly alien - it's simply too hard for them to relate.


Heh, yeah, it doesn't make a whoooole lot of sense (okay, okay, none at all). I mentioned this was a rush job, right? :smalltongue:
But hey, if a successful will save can stop it doing anything at all, a huge rush of shapechanger adrenaline can delay it just a little maybe.

This thing is welded onto your soul, which is the only reason you get a Will save at all - your being is literally this thing's prison, giving you the chance to assert your authority over it.


Well, there's a feat that gives you a harrowing, so trading the other way around doesn't seem too bad.

Class features =/= feats, so be careful with this line of reasoning. Most Harrowings are stronger than feats, and for good reason - trading one for the other may not always be worth it.


Welp, your class, so it's your call, but I kinda enjoyed writing it up (so much easier than PrCs too), and I'd like to do more. I could stick to more supernatural races (Illumians, Azurins, what have you), might fit the theme better.

I'll go ahead and make a section for ACFs and link this one to it, but I'll also write up a brief introduction warning folks that it may be difficult to play to racial themes as a Harrowed. Caveat emptor, hey?


Also, I was thinking of multiclass feats (daring outlaw, etc) and was wondering if you had a preferred name for the Harrowed.
I was thinking Beastborn. eg: Beastborn Ascetic = Harrowed/Monk

"Tenebrous" should work just fine. I'd love to see some multiclass feats, though not all combinations are really worth it. Still, I suppose some player, somewhere, will wanna try a Harrowed/Soulknife or something, so why not?

Ganurath
2011-02-24, 02:51 AM
Tenebrous Rage [Harrowed]
Your rage can either placate the Beast Within, or channel its might.
Prerequisites: Rage or frenzy ability.
Benefits:When entering a rage or frenzy, you may choose to make it a Tenebrous Rage, turning the rage or frenzy into a supernatural ability that requires a Will save for The Monster Within. You get an additional +2 Strength, and the duration of the rage or frenzy is extended a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. Additionally, any natural weapons gained through Harrowings are treated as a size category larger for purposes of damage dice rolled.

Additionally, while in a rage or frenzy, any Will save bonuses you would gain against fear also apply to your saves against The Monster Within. This bonus does not apply to the save to control a Tenebrous Rage.

Not sure if I have the layout right, but I thought it was flavorful.

Arbane
2011-02-24, 04:06 AM
Just saw this. Looks rather nifty.

One random question - does the Beast Within have any effect on how a Harrowed is affected by Detect Evil/Protection from Evil, etc?

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-24, 12:11 PM
Tenebrous Rage [Harrowed]
Your rage can either placate the Beast Within, or channel its might.
Prerequisites: Rage or frenzy ability.
Benefits:When entering a rage or frenzy, you may choose to make it a Tenebrous Rage, turning the rage or frenzy into a supernatural ability that requires a Will save for The Monster Within. You get an additional +2 Strength, and the duration of the rage or frenzy is extended a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. Additionally, any natural weapons gained through Harrowings are treated as a size category larger for purposes of damage dice rolled.

Additionally, while in a rage or frenzy, any Will save bonuses you would gain against fear also apply to your saves against The Monster Within. This bonus does not apply to the save to control a Tenebrous Rage.

Not sure if I have the layout right, but I thought it was flavorful.

Flavorful, but a bit too much mechanics-wise. On top of that, it doesn't really follow the format for multi-classing feats. You should find two iconic features of the class and find a way to combine them. Good idea, but this can be done much better.

Wordings have been cleaned up, DCs have been added to all abilities.

Eurus
2011-02-24, 06:25 PM
Hunter in Darkness [Harrowed]
The beast within your soul is a predator, and this common trait between you enables you to better resist its pull when on the hunt.

Prerequisite: Two-World Eyes, Favored Enemy, Endurance
Benefit: Your Ranger and Harrowed levels stack for the purpose of calculating your Favored Enemy ability and your Tenebrous Touch damage and DC. You may apply the damage bonus from Favored Enemy to your Tenebrous Touch damage, and gain a +2 bonus to the DC of the touch against favored enemies.

Finally, the Harrowed may apply its Favored Enemy bonus to Will saves made to resist the beast for as long as he is pursuing the end of slaying or defeating a favored foe (so a Harrowed with Favored Enemy: Dragons +4 would gain a +4 bonus to saves made when using Tenebrous Touch against the creature, or even while infiltrating the creature's lair).

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-24, 11:36 PM
Hunter in Darkness [Harrowed]
The beast within your soul is a predator, and this common trait between you enables you to better resist its pull when on the hunt.

Prerequisite: Two-World Eyes, Favored Enemy, Endurance
Benefit: Your Ranger and Harrowed levels stack for the purpose of calculating your Favored Enemy ability and your Tenebrous Touch damage and DC. You may apply the damage bonus from Favored Enemy to your Tenebrous Touch damage, and gain a +2 bonus to the DC of the touch against favored enemies.

Finally, the Harrowed may apply its Favored Enemy bonus to Will saves made to resist the beast for as long as he is pursuing the end of slaying or defeating a favored foe (so a Harrowed with Favored Enemy: Dragons +4 would gain a +4 bonus to saves made when using Tenebrous Touch against the creature, or even while infiltrating the creature's lair).

This I like; added.

Sypher667
2011-02-25, 12:08 AM
Sorry for not being in anyway constructive but....

AWESOMENESS REIGNS OVER THIS THREAD!

With that out of the way, I'd like to mention that playing one of these would be a lot of fun, even if, for whatever reason, its usefulness is overshadowed by something, say a Gestalt Druid/Archivist (which should never happen).
This class is incredibly flavorful, and I am truly amazed by the quality of the work here. This a job very well done.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-25, 12:36 AM
Sorry for not being in anyway constructive but....

AWESOMENESS REIGNS OVER THIS THREAD!

With that out of the way, I'd like to mention that playing one of these would be a lot of fun, even if, for whatever reason, its usefulness is overshadowed by something, say a Gestalt Druid/Archivist (which should never happen).
This class is incredibly flavorful, and I am truly amazed by the quality of the work here. This a job very well done.

Aww, thank you ^_^ I've been working on the Harrowed for two and a half years or more, and I'm very proud of how they've evolved.

Eurus
2011-02-25, 07:40 AM
Hashing out a prestige class. Work in progress, ideas welcome.



Eldritch Scion

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/FaxCelestis/Black_Angel_by_ramy.jpg

"Alone, you are weak. Useless. An insignificant speck on the face of a cruel and uncaring universe. To what do you pledge loyalty? The gods that allow you to suffer, or the churches that laud them? Follow me, and be more. I will make you special. Death is only the beginning."
- Ezra Asbel, the Prophet of Whitegorge

Prerequisites:
Feats: Dark Deal, Pact of Sacrifice
Special: Eldritch Blast 2d6, Tenebrous Touch 2d6

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Invocations

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Harrowing Blast|+1 level of existing invocation class

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Cult of Personality, Harrowing|+1 level of existing invocation class

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+3|Class Ability|+1 level of existing invocation class

4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Class Ability|+1 level of existing invocation class

5th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Harrowing|+1 level of existing invocation class

6th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|Unholy Blessing|+1 level of existing invocation class

7th|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+5|Class Ability|+1 level of existing invocation class

8th|
+6|
+2|
+2|
+6|Beyond Death, Harrowing|+1 level of existing invocation class

9th|
+6|
+3|
+3|
+6|Class Ability|+1 level of existing invocation class

10th|
+7|
+3|
+3|
+7|Class Ability|+1 level of existing invocation class [/table]

Invocations: At each level, an Eldritch Scion gains invocations (and increases his Eldritch Blast damage) as if he had gained a level in an existing invocation-using class that he had before taking that level.

Tenebrous Touch: An Eldritch Scion progresses the damage and DC of his Tenebrous Touch with each level as though he had continued progressing in Harrowed.

Harrowing Blast (Su): The most basic ability of the Eldritch Scion is to combine his Eldritch Blast with his Tenebrous Touch. Treat this as an Eldritch Essence to be applied to his blast like any other. An Eldritch Blast with this essence becomes a supernatural ability, and deals damage of the same types as his Tenebrous Touch. He may also add half the damage dice of his Tenebrous Touch and any additional effects it has to a Harrowing Blast.

Cult of Personality (Ex): The Eldritch Scion gains an aura of dark charisma that draws the weak-willed to him like moths to a deadly flame. Those without heavy attachments to their lives can be so overwhelmed that they become little more than thralls.

This ability gives the Scion a limited form of Leadership. He gains no cohort, and calculates his leadership score using only his class level plus his charisma modifier (with no circumstance modifiers). His followers are invariably members of NPC classes, never spellcasters, and no more than 3rd level (any that he would gain of higher levels are downgraded to 3rd), since anyone stronger is strong enough to resist his pull. They are generally without familial bonds or strong social ties, the sort of people that would not be missed, and will reside wherever the Scion directs them to. These followers tend to worship the Scion (and his Beast, if he sees fit to inform them of its nature) as a god or fiend, depending on how he presents himself, and are utterly loyal to the point of gladly dying for him if they believe their deaths to be necessary. Slain cultists are replaced at a rate of one every 1d4 days.

Dark Prophet (Su): The Scion's beast enjoys the attention it receives, and so enables its vessel to perform spectacular feats to gather more of it. Once per day per class level, the Scion may draw deeply upon the Beast's power to perform a minor miracle. This miracle takes one of the following forms:

Healing: The Scion lays hands on a willing target as a full-round action, healing them with eldritch energy. The target is immediately cleansed of poison and disease. If they have any negative levels or permanent ability drain, they will begin to recover one point of it per day (but only that which was present at the time of the miracle). Finally, they are immediately healed of damage equal to the Scion's hit dice. A Scion of 8th level or higher may additionally regenerate a lost or damaged body part with this ability.

Fertility: The Scion blesses an area to increase its health and prosperity. This functions like the Enrichment aspect of a plant growth spell, with several added benefits. Weeds in the area wither, and vermin that attempt to eat the crops inexplicably die on contact (an effect which a particularly observant farmer might consider a bad omen). The rainfall for the next season is guaranteed to be within the acceptable range for any crops (in this particular area only) unless magically tampered with, ending any droughts or floods. Furthermore, game and fish in the area are more plentiful as if attracted with a sympathy spell, and all living creatures gain a +4 bonus to saves against disease.

Unholy Blessing (Su): A more potent display of the Beast's power, this ability consumes three daily uses of Dark Prophet. A willing target is changed in some way, according to their desires and the Scion's. The specific forms that this modification can take are almost unlimited - a person might be made more attractive, marked with a birthmark or scar, or given a more blatantly supernatural feature - but it always has one of the following effects:

1. The subject gains a permanent +2 enhancement bonus to a skill of the Scion's choice.

2. The subject gains a +1 inherent bonus to an ability score.

3. The subject gains a single natural attack that deals 1d4+Str damage. Due to coordination issues, it may not be used alongside other natural weapons in a full attack.

Blessings are permanent unless the Scion revokes them, and a creature may only have one blessing at a time. The Beast will not humor a Scion's attempt to place a blessing on himself.

Beyond Death (Su): The Scion's will is so great, and his Beast's power so vast, that even death cannot stop them. With but a word, the fallen rise to serve. The Scion may force undeath upon any dead creature within 60 feet as a standard action (or all creatures within 60 feet as a full-round action), provided that the creature was in some way under the Scion's control before death. Both magical domination and simple intimidation or awe suffice for this ability, and any member of his cult counts automatically. Animated creatures have the same stats that they did in life, except that any type they previously had is replaced with the Undead type, and they must obey the Scion's orders. They decay after 1d4 hours, except members of his cult, which he may choose to leave animated indefinitely.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-25, 07:55 AM
Eurus, Cult of Personality is hilarious. Sacrificing minions - is there any problem it can't solve?

I'd also propose that you use this picture for your class.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/FaxCelestis/Black_Angel_by_ramy.jpg

NineThePuma
2011-02-25, 08:00 AM
... Is that Light Yagami with dark angel wings?

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-25, 08:06 AM
... Is that Light Yagami with dark angel wings?

Not that I'm aware of.

Eurus
2011-02-25, 08:19 AM
Fixed the table error. And yeah, I figured taking all the fun parts of Leadership minus the broken would be amusing. :smallamused:

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-25, 08:25 AM
Fixed the table error. And yeah, I figured taking all the fun parts of Leadership minus the broken would be amusing. :smallamused:

Harrowing Blast is missing from the table. What's the theme of this class? Where do you wanna go with it?

Eurus
2011-02-25, 08:29 AM
Harrowing Blast is missing from the table. What's the theme of this class? Where do you wanna go with it?

Theme is "dark messiah," basically. A person who made a Warlock-style pact with his beast (or even a pact with a different dark power in order to help him control his beast), funneling worship toward the monster in exchange for personal power.

Will add Harrowing Blast momentarily. Also added Beyond Death.

TheGeckoKing
2011-02-25, 10:38 AM
Firstly, loving the class. It's really nice to see a class that's had so much effort put into it.

Secondly, a question - How would you go about explaining a Warforged Harrowed that wasn't just "Well, they must have a soul then. No worries"?

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-25, 10:40 AM
Firstly, loving the class. It's really nice to see a class that's had so much effort put into it.

Secondly, a question - How would you go about explaining a Warforged Harrowed that wasn't just "Well, they must have a soul then. No worries"?

Immortal beings don't become Harrowed, and I'll be adding in a sidebar discouraging (but not forbidding) Harrowed from seeking avenues for immortality; the process of death and rebirth is part of how the beast is contained, and is essential to the continued safety of reality at large.

TheGeckoKing
2011-02-25, 10:43 AM
So, a Warforged/Lich/Brain In A Jar Harrowed would be bad for the universe, then?

Eurus
2011-02-25, 10:43 AM
Gives me an idea for another PrC, though. Similar to the Jade Phoenix Mage, it's possible that a Harrowed might seek meditative techniques to allow him to unlock his past life memories. Do I hear Harrowed/Monk? :smalltongue:

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-25, 10:45 AM
So, a Warforged/Lich/Brain In A Jar Harrowed would be bad for the universe, then?

Extraordinarily. Enjoy being hunted down by Celestians, Baatorians, Inevitables and, in all likelihood, any Eldarin that runs across you.

@Eurus - Rock it, brother. Rock it.

TheGeckoKing
2011-02-25, 10:50 AM
Extraordinarily. Enjoy being hunted down by Celestians, Baatorians, Inevitables and, in all likelihood, any Eldarin that runs across you.


So, they'd have to go live in Sigil? The Abyss?

Eurus
2011-02-25, 10:56 AM
So, they'd have to go live in Sigil? The Abyss?

Sigil could probably keep them safe for a while (well, as "safe" as one gets in Sigil), but I assume that the strain of leashing the beast would wear at their body and soul until it eventually cracks. Might take a few centuries (Elvish Harrowed get by, after all), but eventually.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-25, 11:01 AM
Sigil could probably keep them safe for a while (well, as "safe" as one gets in Sigil), but I assume that the strain of leashing the beast would wear at their body and soul until it eventually cracks. Might take a few centuries (Elvish Harrowed get by, after all), but eventually.

Bonus Content Post Explains All (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10415721&postcount=5)

Also look for content such as Harrowed-focused magical items, potential statistics for The Beast Within, more fluff and even potentially some example NPCs.

Eurus
2011-02-25, 11:22 AM
It was pointed out to me that the description of Beyond Death omitted a rather important word. It's not supposed to work on living creatures, only already dead ones, heh. Fixed.

Cieyrin
2011-02-25, 12:08 PM
Harrowed has come a long way from its first incarnation and doing fairly well for it.

I do wonder about how the clause requiring level 1 to be Harrowed isn't present in this version. Are you changing up the fluff so that chained beasts spontaneously occur if you take Harrowed later in your career? :smalltongue:

I also miss the Redeemed Beast feat, as it was a neat idea for pursuit and made gestaulted Harrowed//Champions lulzy and more possible.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-25, 02:33 PM
Harrowed has come a long way from its first incarnation and doing fairly well for it.

I do wonder about how the clause requiring level 1 to be Harrowed isn't present in this version. Are you changing up the fluff so that chained beasts spontaneously occur if you take Harrowed later in your career? :smalltongue:

I also miss the Redeemed Beast feat, as it was a neat idea for pursuit and made gestaulted Harrowed//Champions lulzy and more possible.

I was informed that limiting player options is bad, so I removed the clause. The Beast sleeps within, however - present, but docile. For now.

Redeemed Beast may return.

Owrtho
2011-02-25, 05:50 PM
Well, I'd first like to note that I still feel dark deal should have some sort of stipulation requiring actions on the harrowed's part (as it is it seems to be more the monster deciding to behave, rather than an actual deal that would require both sides to give something).

That said though, I updated a pair of harrowed PRCs I made for previous incarnations of the class (the first and third to be precise). I present the updated Tenebrous Wisp (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5840073#post5840073) (previously Shadowmental Wisp), and Beast Sculpted (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9576356#post9576356), for your possessed character's pleasure.

I still need to read over the new harrowed in detail before I can present a full PEACH, but I did get the general gist of it while seeing the changes for updating the classes. Related to that, the part about immortal harrowed should specify that the feeling of wrongness does not occur until reaching a certain number of age penalties/bonuses.
Also, after looking back over the first version's thread, I found an old feat suggestion I'd made that may be worth looking over. The numbers are place holders.

Chained Beast [Harrowed]
You have used your strength of will to bind the monster within you with mental chains. However this has caused physical chains to form on you from your Shadowmental Touch.
Prerequisites: Iron Will, Shadowmental Touch 2d6 or 2d4
Benefit: You can manifest mental chains to bind your monster. You gain a +4 bonus on Will saves made vs. your monster when you have the chains manifested. When you have the chains manifest, your shadowmental touch reacts forming physical chains on you. These chains hinder your movement giving you a -2 penalty to Dex and your armors maximum Dex bonus by 1. They do however increase your AC by 1. Whenever you are damaged, the chains are also attacked. They have 10 hardness and 20 hp per 2 die of shadowmental touch. If the chains are destroyed, the backlash causes their shadowmental touch damage to all creatures within 5 feet of them. In addition the sudden destruction of the chains requires the Harrowed to make a Will save vs. the monster as a -8 penalty. A disguise check is required to hide the chains. Manifesting or removing (without destroying them) them requires an hour of concentration.

Also found the one I'd been looking for in the thread from the second version.

Beast's Caress [Harrowed]
You may cause those you hit with your shadowmental touch to feel the presence of the beast.
Prerequisites: Shadowmental Touch, The Monster Within
Benefit: When using shadowmental touch, you may choose to not deal the unholy energy (decided before the damage is rolled). Instead, the target must make a will save (DC 10 + how much unholy damage would have been dealt + Charisma modifier), or become Shaken. If they fail the will save by more than 5, they become frightened instead. If they would fail by more than 10, they become panicked instead. For every time this is used on a target, it gains a cumulative +1 bonus to the will save against future uses.

I'll also try to come up with some new feats or harrowings when I get the chance.

Owrtho

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-25, 06:57 PM
Both classes have been added to the Prestige Classes section. The first feat is a bit much, the second quite the bit weak, but I think I may be able to turn the chains into a Harrowing. Remember, bonuses to Will saves are very valuable to a Harrowed, and they're fairly valuable to begin with.

Owrtho
2011-02-25, 07:46 PM
I seem to recall vaguely intending to come up with a chain that expanded upon the second feat (similar to the feat chains for each of the shadowmental damage types at the time), but don't think I ever really go around to it. It also does seem that such a feat chain would likely just end up mirroring the Tenebrous Wisp fear abilities without the wisp parts. Still may try coming up with a better version of the fear idea. Might actually work better if it replaced the elemental side of the damage rather than the untyped portion.

Owrtho

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-25, 08:21 PM
New Harrowing
Chains of Will
Prerequisites: Iron Will, two other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing can manifest psychic chains of Tenebrous energy with which she restrains her beast; as a move action, she may manifest chains of Tenebrous energy that wrap around her body, providing her with a +6 armor bonus to armor class, as well as a -2 armor check penalty and 15% arcane spell failure. These chains are treated as light armor, and have a +1 enhancement bonus for every four class levels; the Harrowed may enchant her chains (or have them enchanted, if she is incapable of enchanting them herself) just like any other kind of armor. While these chains are manifested, the Harrowed enjoys a +1 insight bonus on Will saves against The Monster Within. Dismissing these chains is a swift action.

Thing is, Owrtho, that fear effects are pretty much the bottom rung of the effects. I'd never spend a feat to get a fear effect if I could avoid it.

Sengachi
2011-02-25, 08:40 PM
I saw this class and fell in love. It matches my play style with perfection.
That said, I decided to use it in our new campaign. Let me put it this way. We woke up on a slave ship, tied and bound. 1...2...3... caustic acid everywhere. I may make this the class I typically use in campaigns.

Fishy
2011-02-26, 05:39 AM
May I join the crowds in saying that this class is wonderful and flavorful and delicious!

This feat popped into my head when I read Hunter In Darkness. Vaguely inspired/stolen from Warshaper, Nature's Warrior, Primeval Wild Shape, and the various multiclass feats.


Tenebrous Shapes [Harrowed, Wild]

Prerequisites: Wild Shape ability, The Monster Within.

Benefit: Your inner beast perverts your attempts to get closer to nature. Assuming a Wild Shape provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 10 + 1/2 the HD of your new form. Whether you succeed or fail, your new form keeps all of the natural attacks you have gained from Harrowings. If the form already has a natural attack of that type, it instead deals damage as if it were one size category larger.
In addition, your levels in Druid and Harrowed (as well as level in other classes or prestige classes that advance these class features) to determine your Tenebrous Touch damage, and your Wild Shape size, type and frequency.

Sengachi
2011-02-26, 12:58 PM
Something I just noticed. It was mentioned that using Tenebrous touch (melee), on claws gave both claws Tenebrous Touch. If a level 20 takes only claws as a nat attack, and uses a combination of swift and standard actions each turn to hit with two Tenebrous Touch claw attacks, they'll do 10d6+ 1d8 + Str + TT ability on both hits. Whereas if the same character has full nat attacks, they'll do 2 1d8 + Str claws, 1d10 + 1/2 Str jaw, 2d8 TT jaw, 2 1d8 + Str tentacles, 2d8 + 1/2 Str tail + 20 rending gift.

Totals:
Claws + TT= 20d6 + 2d8 + 2xStr + 2xTT ability. Both at highest att bonus.

Full nat attacks = 8d8 + 1d10 + 5xStr + 20.

Total Avg Dmg:
Claws + TT= 79 + 2xStr + 2xTT ability.

Full nat attacks= 61.5 + 5xStr.

I think the claws alone look much, much more promising, especially considering the much greater chance to hit. Add in the Caustic Fury element and woo. The damage is ridiculous. I suppose the nat attacks go better with Tenebrous Fury, but that's stretching it. Oh, and if you add in the extra harrowings which won't be put into extra nat attacks, the claw build just looks better and better. Make of it what you will.

Note: Two primary attacks like claws can be used together on a standard action at -2/-2. Oh, and this is without Imp Natural Attack feat.

P.S. In the campaign I just started, we're playing a ship/ocean heavy world, 80% of it is on the high seas. I know I'm going for wings, that's required. But beyond that, should I go for Transcendent Stride, Aquatic Mobility, or neither?

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-26, 02:26 PM
You forget that the guy with full natural attacks can still channel through both claws and then bring the rest of his natural attacks into the fray.

Re: Mobility: Ask your DM if your fly speed will function underwater. If not, aquatic mobility may be attractive. Transcendent Stride also helps with moving on ship decks.

Sengachi
2011-02-26, 02:37 PM
Thank you for the mobility advice.
As for the claw attacks. You had the Tenebrous Touch (melee) addition labeled as a "swift" action, not as a free action. So you can't use a full attack with it. But it seems to me that's not how you intended it. Might I suggest changing it?

At sixth level, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may infuse her melee weapon with her Tenebrous Touch, dealing Tenebrous Touch damage in addition to weapon damage for a single attack, as well as triggering the secondary effects of her Tenebrous Touch.
Changes to:
At sixth level, as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may infuse her melee weapon with her Tenebrous Touch, dealing Tenebrous Touch damage in addition to weapon damage for a single attack, as well as triggering the secondary effects of her Tenebrous Touch.

But to me that seems a mite OP. Mayhaps make it so that at a higher level it changes from a swift action to a free action?

NineThePuma
2011-02-26, 02:40 PM
Swift actions are already outside of the Full Round Action thingy.

Sengachi
2011-02-26, 02:45 PM
Thank you very much. This is news to me. Dang, this'll change my whole play style. It also resolves my previous issues with the natural attacks.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-26, 03:13 PM
Tenebrous Shifting [Harrowed, Wild]
Your alternate forms are enhanced - or debased - by the beast within.
Prerequisites: Wild Shape ability, The Monster Within.
Benefit: Whenever you assume a new form with your Wild Shape ability, you retain any natural attacks that you already possess. If your new form would give you a natural attack of a type you already possess, that natural attack is instead treated as being one size larger. Changing forms with your Wild Shape ability provokes a Will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 18.

In addition, your levels in Druid and Harrowed (as well as level in other classes or prestige classes that advance these class features) stack when determining the advancement of your Tenebrous Touch and Wild Shape class features.

Wording has been fixed for you - thanks for the idea! *Adds it to feats*

Halae
2011-02-27, 06:28 PM
I just read through the class, and I must say, this is AMAZING.

I tried to make a Warlock fluffed the same way once, but it just wasn't quite... there, you know? But this does it all perfectly! I'm thinking of a Melee Harrowed with Hellfire, perhaps with an Obyrith trapped inside him (You know, the progenitors of Demonkind?). Claws, bite, tail slap, and wings - lots of physical stuff for this character, and wreathed in hellfire. HELLS YES.

I know what I'm going to be spending a few hours negotiating with my DM for on my next character :smallbiggrin:

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-27, 06:41 PM
I just read through the class, and I must say, this is AMAZING.

I tried to make a Warlock fluffed the same way once, but it just wasn't quite... there, you know? But this does it all perfectly! I'm thinking of a Melee Harrowed with Hellfire, perhaps with an Obyrith trapped inside him (You know, the progenitors of Demonkind?). Claws, bite, tail slap, and wings - lots of physical stuff for this character, and wreathed in hellfire. HELLS YES.

I know what I'm going to be spending a few hours negotiating with my DM for on my next character :smallbiggrin:

Glad to see you enjoy the work ^_^ Keep in mind that the creator's default fluff (which is in no way sacred) implies that the Monster Within is possessed of incredible power, and it should be memorable and striking in any event. After all, it's a major part of your character - his constant companion, whether either of them like it or not.

EdroGrimshell
2011-02-27, 09:46 PM
I've decided to try my hand at a binder/harrowed PrC, i'll edit it in as soon as i finish it

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-27, 09:47 PM
I've decided to try my hand at a binder/harrowed PrC, i'll edit it in as soon as i finish it

Be warned, you may be competing with an outside contractor.

Fishy
2011-02-27, 10:32 PM
Wording has been fixed for you - thanks for the idea! *Adds it to feats*

Glad you like it!

I'm starting to think it needs a bit of work, though. Really Harrowings are more interesting to a Tenebrous Shaper than advancing Tenebrous Touch damage, but I don't think you want one feat handing out multiple Harrowings- and I also don't think there's a precedent for a feat that advances Wild Shape that well. Maybe it needs to be a PrC instead.

Also- why'd you change the DC? I know mine was on the low side and yours does better bookkeeping, but I kind of wanted something that scaled...

Sengachi
2011-02-27, 10:46 PM
Question: Does the damage die step-up applied by Rending Gift apply to the additional 2d6 elemental damage in the jaw attack added by Hell-Born butchery?

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-27, 10:55 PM
Question: Does the damage die step-up applied by Rending Gift apply to the additional 2d6 elemental damage in the jaw attack added by Hell-Born butchery?

No. It might by RAW (I'm uncertain), but not by RAI.

Ganurath
2011-02-27, 10:57 PM
No. It might by RAW (I'm uncertain), but not by RAI.By RAW, that 2d6 damage is additional damage, so it wouldn't be included. At least, that's how I'd rule it.

bindin garoth
2011-03-01, 09:36 AM
I'm thinking about an incarnate/harrowed or totemist/harrowed prc. I've already got a rough version in my head, Just need to type it up. Should have it up in the next ffew days :smallsmile:

Sengachi
2011-03-01, 08:42 PM
So, I just noticed something for a stealth or hunter Harrowed. Predatory Obfuscation allows you to Hide, even when someone is looking at you, so long as you have concealment. Darkness offers a 20% miss chance, because of concealment! If you have Shadowed Soul and Predatory Obfuscation, you can just place Darkness on your armor and hide, whenever you may like. However it's probably best to have Darkness on a bunch of copper coins to throw in the air or some such thing. Otherwise they'd know where you are by where the center of the darkness spell is. Still, I think that combined with Greater Shadow on Chains of Will, a bunch of skill points in hide and the hide bonus magical darkness gives you, you'd be close to invisible. :smallsmile:

Lord_Gareth
2011-03-01, 09:31 PM
Let it be known that there is also an up-to-date version of the Harrowed here (http://forum.faxcelestis.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=337&p=1255#p1255).

Aergoth
2011-03-10, 06:52 PM
A new Harrowed PrC (one of two I've been writing) can be found here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10532035#post10532035)

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-11, 12:43 PM
As promised (and as repeatedly delayed), here's your in-depth critique.


Class Skills: The Harrowed’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows: Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (All skills, chosen individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (N/A), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha)

The skills in bold confuse me somewhat. Decipher Script is an odd one, as it seems much more scholarly than the Beast seems really capable of, and Knowledge (all skills) seems the same. I could see some Knowledge skills, but, for instance, being really good at geography because my soul harbors a terrible monster kind of strikes me as odd. I know the beast is highly intelligent, but I can't see it passing this information along lightly.



The Monster Within (Su): The Harrowed shares her body and soul with a being of elemental power, dark purpose, and terrible will, constantly fighting it for control of her body and mind. Though the Harrowed can draw upon some of the beast’s power, in doing so she risks losing control; whenever the Harrowed uses one of her activated supernatural abilities from this class (as well as certain Harrowed feats – see feat descriptions for details), she must make a Will save (see the ability descriptions for save DCs) or lose control of her body to the monster for one round per character level (the ability is still activated as intended; that is, Tenebrous Touch still attacks its target, Tenebrous Mantles still activate, et cetera). The Harrowed may not choose to fail this save. If they succeed at the saving throw, they do not need to save again for that particular ability (or feat) for a number of rounds equal to their Charisma modifier.

This is an interesting case. On the one hand, losing your character to the Beast sucks, but, on the other, it's chock full of delicious flavor. I'd say definitely keep it. The duration and the frequency, however, have me worried: that's a TON of Will saves in an average encounter and, at higher levels, you lose your character for the duration of the encounter if you fail a save (some of which you only fail on a 1, which means more unnecessary die rolling). Outside of combat, where the ability could have the greatest impact on a campaign, the 1-20 round duration isn't sufficient to really do anything more than a couple of isolated actions. That, to me, is a shame, as a sort of were-wolf like period of darkness or being the helpless observer to whatever atrocities the Beast is planning seem like things that would add a lot to the Harrowed's flavor...and, with the current rules, that is all but impossible. I'm uncertain quite what to do with this ability, but I'm not entirely happy with its present state.



Tenebrous Touch (Su): The simplest expression of her power, the Harrowed can tap into the monster within, siphoning off a measure of its anger, its hatred, and its essence and unleashing it as a ranged touch attack (max range 60 feet). At first level, the Harrowed’s player chooses one of the following elements. This choice, once made, cannot be changed.

Hellfire is alarmingly weak: 1d6 damage per round from ignition is ridiculously low. A better bet might be to keep the Reflex save at the DC 15 standard and increase the damage. That way, you either deal more damage each round, or cost your opponent an action. Either that, or cut the second save completely and deal Xd6 damage each round for X rounds, save negates (but no additional save can extinguish the flames).

I quite like Frigid Hate, Sky's Rage, and Caustic Fury. That said, Caustic Fury seems like it should overcome hardness when it deals damage, as I sort of want to melt through walls with the thing.

Sun's Wrath I don't really think fits, although I can sort of see it (which means you should probably keep it). That said, it's REALLY weak, dealing less damage and having no actually useful secondary ability. Sun's Wrath needs a bit boost, although the exact method of that is up to you. Either more damage or an actual secondary ability in line with the other powers would be a good start. Basically, it should come closer to mirroring Death's Grasp, which is fairly well done.

Indomitable Will I like. This is one where the lesser damage is actually made up for by the damage type and the great effect. That said, the -2 penalty to Will saves is unnecessary, unless you intend to up the damage from this ability. The distance pushed might also be a bit to much, as 5 ft/level gets pretty crazy.

Screaming Hatred should probably be dealing d6s of damage like everything else, but is otherwise good.

That being said, I'd try to find a consistent method of scaling the secondary effect, as some are based on level (and thus scale) while others aren't. It works, but it leads me to question the balance at higher levels.

The other touch abilities are fine, in my opinion.


Two-World Eyes (Su): The energies of the beast within infuse the Harrowed, seeping into her senses and allowing her to sense those energies that are similar to it. Starting at second level, the Harrowed’s senses sharpen in a mostly mundane way; she gains darkvision out to a range of sixty feet (or her existing darkvision improves by sixty feet). Darkvision is exactly like normal vision, except that it is in black-and-white only, and the Harrowed can function just fine with no light at all.

Starting at tenth level, the Harrowed can see magical auras and manifestations; she benefits from a constant detect magic effect. Additionally, the Harrowed can sense those beings whose nature, like her beast’s, is formed of the fundamental blocks of creation; she automatically detects any creatures with the elemental type (or the air, cold, earth, fire, or water subtypes) within her field of vision, as though she enjoyed the benefits of a true seeing spell. The Harrowed automatically knows if the creature she perceives possesses the elemental type, as well as if it possesses any of the aforementioned subtypes.

Starting at sixteenth level, the Harrowed’s darkvision functions even in magical darkness, and her supernatural perception sharpens to incredible acuity; the Harrowed detects all beings with the elemental type, the outsider type, or the air, cold, earth, extraplanar, fire, or water subtypes as though she possesses blindsight out to sixty feet, but only with regard to those beings (when those beings are within that range, she may also perceive her surroundings in this manner, but not beings without the aforementioned types or subtypes). Nothing short of an antimagic field (or similar effects) may foil this perception.

Interesting, flavorful, and definitely not overpowered. Approved. :smallbiggrin:


Death Sight (Su): As a Harrowed’s power grows, she becomes more sensitive to resonances from the lands of the dead. Starting at fourth level, the Harrowed develops a sort of second sight relating to the dead; when she sees a corpse, no matter how old it is, she can instantly tell how long it has been dead, and what, in general, killed it (examples might include poison, lacerations, magical fire, and divine punishment). Additionally, if the corpse has been dead less than a number of days equal to the Harrowed’s class level, she may converse with it as though using speak with dead as a cleric of her class level. A Harrowed may only use this ability once on any given corpse.

The Harrowed may use this ability to determine if a being or corpse is or is not undead, and by what means (infection, spell, transformative process, et cetera) it joined the ranks of the unliving, if so.

Strange that this wasn't folded into Two-World Eyes, but meh. Whatever. This ability has the potential to ruin murder-mystery adventures, but, ultimately, I think it's a strong and deliciously fluff-filled addition. Approved.


Tenebrous Mantle (Su): As the Harrowed’s stolen power grows, her body becomes more and more suffused with the dark elemental energies of the monster within her. With an act of will, a Harrowed of fifth level or higher may force these energies from her skin, becoming wreathed in a protective layer of Tenebrous energy. Once per encounter, as a swift action that does no provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may activate this ability. While this ability is active, she becomes shrouded in a raging manifestation of her Tenebrous energy. Any being striking her in melee with a natural or non-reach manufactured weapon takes Tenebrous Touch damage on their first successful attack, as well as suffering the secondary effect of the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch. Additionally, while her Tenebrous Mantle is active, the Harrowed has DR X/- against projectile attacks, where X is equal to her class level. This damage reduction counts against conjured projectiles (such as acid arrows), but not against rays or force effects (such as magic missiles).

Hm. Is that the first successful attack each round, or the first successful attack period? Other than that, this is fine with me, although you might want to add a base number to the duration, as it's incredibly short and also very biased to high Charisma Harrowed. Perhaps 3 + Charisma modifier rounds?


After gaining this ability, the Harrowed’s footprints flicker and gutter with weak Tenebrous energy, adding a +5 circumstance bonus to those attempting to track her (with obvious exceptions made for common sense, such as cold energy in the arctic tundra), even when the ability is not active.

Love it.


Glimpse the Soul (Su): The Harrowed’s senses continue to expand past the mundane, giving her glimpses of the auras that all beings with souls possess. Starting at level seven, she may concentrate and scrutinize these auras in order to gain information about their bearers. As a full-round action, the Harrowed may observe any being with a soul (including elementals, outsiders, and intelligent constructs) and make a sense motive check (DC = the creatures hit dice + its wisdom modifier). If she succeeds, the Harrowed may learn one of the following: one component of the creature’s alignment (good-evil, law-chaos), its current mood, its relative intelligence (in general terms; “animal intelligence” “stupid” “clever” and “brilliant” would all be appropriate readings), or if it is currently bearing any objects containing trapped souls. The Harrowed may attempt this check more than once on any given creature in a day, but each time she does, the DC increases by five.

This is why I generally like your work, Gareth: minor, flavorful, and sometimes useful abilities that give the player a sense of accomplishment without handing out truckloads of power. But you knew that already. Approved.


Evil Eye (Su): Temporarily shifting her soul from behind her eyes, a Harrowed of level eight or higher can allow her beast to glare out into the world, inflicting its hate and rage on unfortunate victims. Once per encounter, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may glare at her foe as a gaze attack. Her victim must succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer a -4 profane penalty to all ability scores, skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier.

Nice little trick. That said, if the creature succeeds, did you want the attempt to be used up? As written, you get one attempt, whether or not it succeeds.


Bestial Resilience (Su): As her Tenebrous energy continues to infuse her body, the Harrowed begins to develop a tolerance for it. At level nine, the Harrowed gains resistance 10 to whatever form of damage her Tenebrous Touch deals (acid, cold, electricity, fire, force, negative energy, positive energy, or sonic). At level 18, this improves to resistance 20.

Uninteresting compared to the other abilities, but alright. That said, what does Resistance 10 (Positive Energy) even mean? I can't think, off the top of my head, of anything else that deals positive energy damage...


Read the Soul (Su): Starting at level twelve, as a full-round action, the Harrowed can lock onto the aura of any intelligent being within her view. Activating this ability is a standard action, and while she concentrates on that being, the Harrowed may tell any of the following: if that being lies, if it activates a supernatural or spell-like ability, if it changes alignment (but not what alignment it changes to), or if it becomes possessed. A Harrowed may only read one aura at a time this way, and concentrating on the task takes a standard action each round to maintain.

Activating Read the Soul provokes a Will save (see The Monster Within), and maintaining it provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) every other round; both of these saves are against DC 20.

I'm a little concerned about the ability to detect lies without allowing a Saving Throw, honestly. Other than that, I'm unconcerned with this ability, but that feature alone seems a bit worrying.

Scent the Occult (Su): As the Harrowed infuses more of herself with the stolen power of her beast, its senses continue to bleed through into her own. At level twelve, her sense of smell sharpens and takes on a supernatural edge...[/quote]

I'm going to stop quoting in full the abilities I have no problems with. Another nice, somewhat useful, immensely flavor ability. You know the drill: approved.


Dark Whispers (Ex): A Harrowed can, in a limited fashion, project their mind and afflict others with the dark whispers and desires of the monster within. Starting at level fifteen, twice per encounter, the Harrowed may activate this ability as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The Harrowed designates a victim, who immediately begins hearing insidious, whispering, demanding voices in his head, forcing him to succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or go insane for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier. While insane, the victim suffers a -6 penalty to wisdom and is unable to tell friend from foe, lashing out violently against the nearest available victims. Victims who succeed at the will save are immune to further uses of this ability – by any Harrowed – for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability.

Interesting you didn't go with the confusion base mechanics behind the insanity spell, but, in the end, I like this way better.


Sense the Unseen (Su): The most profound sharpening of her senses, a Harrowed of level sixteen or higher...

Yep. Still works.


Tenebrous Fury (Su): At level twenty, the Harrowed has mastered the most destructive and potent of her powers. Once per encounter, by tapping into her own rage and fury and magnifying it with that of her beast, she becomes a beacon of dark elemental energy, creating and releasing it at a prodigious rate. When she activates her Tenebrous Fury, the Harrowed can make her Tenebrous Touch attacks as attack actions; that is, she may make as many Tenebrous Touch attacks as her base attack bonus allows. Additionally, all of the Harrowed's melee attacks are imbued with her Tenebrous Touch. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier.

Ouch. This might be a tad bit powerful, but I'd have to see it in play. That said, this causes problems with secondary effects (some stack, some don't...which means that either this ability or the effects need revision to make all touches roughly equal). Indomitable Will also suffers, as it can fling an opponent far enough away that you can't continue to attack them. Otherwise, it's a fitting capstone.


Some Conclusions: Not all touches are created equal, which needs to change. My main concern, however, is the sheer number of largely meaningless Will saves that are made each fight, as most will automatically be passed. More die rolls =/= fun, in my mind. Additionally, the effects of the Beast breaking free seem more annoying that fun in its current iteration, and I'd recommend revising that part of the class to get something that can really add some emotional and role-playing punch to the class, rather than the minor combat-interrupting annoying it is at the moment. I'm rather attached to the idea of, as your Harrowing introductory flavor hints at, waking up to find oneself (as a Harrowed) covered in blood and not knowing whose, how, or why. That's something that, by the rules, can't happen at the moment, and I think that's to the class's detriment.

Overall, however, another excellent piece of work. But, after all this time, I wouldn't have expected anything less. :smallbiggrin:

I'll review the Harrowings later on.

Owrtho
2011-03-11, 06:09 PM
The skills in bold confuse me somewhat. Decipher Script is an odd one, as it seems much more scholarly than the Beast seems really capable of, and Knowledge (all skills) seems the same. I could see some Knowledge skills, but, for instance, being really good at geography because my soul harbors a terrible monster kind of strikes me as odd. I know the beast is highly intelligent, but I can't see it passing this information along lightly.

As I recall, these come not from the beast, but rather from harrowed existing in a constant cycle of reincarnation, with the ability to recall vague memories from their past lives at times. As such if they encountered or studied things in their previous lives, they could possibly recall them gaining an increase to knowledge skills, or decipher script for similar reasons.

Owrtho

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-11, 06:19 PM
As I recall, these come not from the beast, but rather from harrowed existing in a constant cycle of reincarnation, with the ability to recall vague memories from their past lives at times. As such if they encountered or studied things in their previous lives, they could possibly recall them gaining an increase to knowledge skills, or decipher script for similar reasons.

That would make sense. Considering, however, that I see no mechanical flavor in the class for such a backstory, I'm more inclined to let that be DM added flavor (at the DM's discretion) and just cut the less appropriate skills from the list. Simply personal preference.

Lord_Gareth
2011-03-11, 06:40 PM
That would make sense. Considering, however, that I see no mechanical flavor in the class for such a backstory, I'm more inclined to let that be DM added flavor (at the DM's discretion) and just cut the less appropriate skills from the list. Simply personal preference.

Boom is right; the skills were added to fit into the Harrowed's semi-defined role as an investigator and scholar, and you can even pick up the Whispers of the Past feat to get Knowledge bonuses. I've also had some players define their Beasts as fallen angels or erudite entities of the Far Realms and justify their increasing Knowledge by wresting it from their minds.

More in-depth reply later.

Sengachi
2011-03-14, 06:49 PM
I'm a little concerned about the ability to detect lies without allowing a Saving Throw, honestly. Other than that, I'm unconcerned with this ability, but that feature alone seems a bit worrying.

Thing is, most abilities don't require you to make a save against going stark raving mad. If the save on Read the Soul were to be increased mildly, it would become a really balanced ability, but honestly, there are so many lie-detecting spells out there, do we really want to make Read the Soul just another ability in the crowd?

Robert Blackletter
2011-03-17, 07:10 AM
After rereading the giant Chamption class this came to my mind hope you like it
Corrupted Avatar
The beast inside has started to corrupt even your heroes form
Prerequisite: Hero Form class ability, Tenebrous Touch class ability
Benefit: Your champion and Harrowed levels stack for purposes of determining your avatar's Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saving throws, and skill points and also damage dice of Tenebrous Touch. Also all harrowing also effect the heros form
Special: If the hero has three or more harrowing it may take the Forced Harrowing feat to gain additional Harrowings

Ganurath
2011-03-19, 11:07 PM
Finally got around to that field test I mentioned.

The verdict: Smart selection of Harrowings and feats can make this class a danger to everything within reach, comparable to if not surpassing Swordsage. At level 12, I used Phantom Rip, Rending Gift, and the L6 Tenebrous Touch to deal 2d6+6d4+2 with each claw, knocking the party cleric into the ground with Indomitable Will for an additional 6d6 push-into-barrier damage, 3d6+1 with the tail, +12 from Rending Gift itself, and 4d6+1 from a bite. After the 17d6+12d4+18, the cleric had 1 hit point. Would've died if not for creative use of obstructive, and if I had actually killed an intelligent target in the last 24 hours. Yes, my Harrowed had Butchery Pact, and thus Dark Deal. The Cleric was CE, and acted as such.

Edit: Forgot the extra damage from the push-into-barrier.

Lord_Gareth
2011-03-19, 11:45 PM
Finally got around to that field test I mentioned.

The verdict: Smart selection of Harrowings and feats can make this class a danger to everything within reach, comparable to if not surpassing Swordsage. At level 12, I used Phantom Rip, Rending Gift, and the L6 Tenebrous Touch to deal 2d6+6d4+2 with each claw, knocking the party cleric into the ground with Indomitable Will for an additional 6d6 push-into-barrier damage, 3d6+1 with the tail, +12 from Rending Gift itself, and 4d6+1 from a bite. After the 17d6+12d4+18, the cleric had 1 hit point. Would've died if not for creative use of obstructive, and if I had actually killed an intelligent target in the last 24 hours. Yes, my Harrowed had Butchery Pact, and thus Dark Deal. The Cleric was CE, and acted as such.

Edit: Forgot the extra damage from the push-into-barrier.

Note: There is no listed push-into-barrier damage. I'd considered it, but ultimately decided against it.

Ganurath
2011-03-20, 01:44 AM
Note: There is no listed push-into-barrier damage. I'd considered it, but ultimately decided against it.Not for Indomitable Will, but it's the general standard used for such things (with our group, at least) based on all the "teleport into solid object shuntings" and falling damage.

Lord_Gareth
2011-03-20, 01:46 AM
Not for Indomitable Will, but it's the general standard used for such things (with our group, at least) based on all the "teleport into solid object shuntings" and falling damage.

It still remains a house rule, Ganurath.

Kallisti
2011-03-21, 04:55 PM
Will the Slendertouched (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9408864&postcount=13) still be compatible with this version? Because in one game I am submitting a Harrowed/Slendertouched//Binder, and so now would be a good time to find out if using Slendertouched with the new version would be a problem.

Aergoth
2011-03-21, 08:31 PM
I'd like to hear from you about the Beast Driven (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10532035#post10532035), if you wouldn't mind Gareth?

Lord_Gareth
2011-03-22, 12:07 AM
Will the Slendertouched (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9408864&postcount=13) still be compatible with this version? Because in one game I am submitting a Harrowed/Slendertouched//Binder, and so now would be a good time to find out if using Slendertouched with the new version would be a problem.

The Slendertouched shouldn't have any problems per se, but the addition of Harrowings means that it's behind the curve. Additionally, the feat that the Slendertouched required became a Harrowing.


I'd like to hear from you about the Beast Driven (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10532035#post10532035), if you wouldn't mind Gareth?

I'll post something in the next few days.

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-22, 09:49 AM
More in-depth reply later.

Still waiting on this...I'm interested in seeing your response to my critique. That said, given MY timely (*cough, cough*) response...:smallbiggrin:

Lord_Gareth
2011-03-22, 10:05 AM
Still waiting on this...I'm interested in seeing your response to my critique. That said, given MY timely (*cough, cough*) response...:smallbiggrin:

Harrowings, Unchained Berserker, and Feral Psyker, friend. That is all.
Lord_Gareth is not responsible for delays in giving in-depth responses due to new employment.

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-22, 10:07 AM
Harrowings, Unchained Berserker, and Feral Psyker, friend. That is all.

Good counter, my friend. :smallbiggrin:


Lord_Gareth is not responsible for delays in giving in-depth responses due to new employment.

Excellent?

Lord_Gareth
2011-03-22, 10:13 AM
I mean, honestly Gid, you have competiton for Unchained Berserker and you still aren't working on it yet. What would Sorcen/Kyle/Syra/Tyler/Inaya/Bartlemaeus say?

NineThePuma
2011-03-22, 10:25 AM
I mean, honestly Gid, you have competiton for Unchained Berserker and you still aren't working on it yet. What would Sorcen/Kyle/Syra/Tyler/Inaya/Bartlemaeus say?

What? That doesn't... huh?

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-22, 10:27 AM
What? That doesn't... huh?

Makes sense to me. :smallbiggrin:

To clarify, Gareth and I have known each other for years, beginning on the old Wizards RP boards. I used Gideon_Gideonson as a username, and all of those were either other players (Sorcen), or old characters of Gareth and mine. He also carefully picked the characters who would care about a delayed piece of work, rather than the numerous ones who would have brushed it off. Cunning. :smalltongue:

NineThePuma
2011-03-22, 10:29 AM
... Ah. Now it makes sense. You're both crazy people and the world is square. I return to my hole in the wall with perfect understanding.

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-22, 10:35 AM
... Ah. Now it makes sense. You're both crazy people and the world is square.

Basically, yes.

Lord_Gareth
2011-03-22, 10:47 AM
So yes, the main review I need is the Harrowings (since only the Tenebrous Touch changed from the last version) and/or feats, and I'm always open for ideas on both. I'd love to see more Harrowed PrCs as well.

Additionally, you can look forward to:

- Poison Harrowings!
- Disease Harrowings!
- Harrowed that don't eat, sleep, or breathe!

Now get crackin', Djinn! Don't make me drop the Tyler voice! I do it!

bindin garoth
2011-03-22, 11:01 AM
Sorry I completely forgot about the incarnium/harrowed prc that I was working on :smalleek: . I started it, then got distracted, and then the prc contest came up so I worked on that. As soon as I finish that I'll post up The Avatar of the Beast Prc. :smallbiggrin:

Bhu
2011-03-23, 12:18 AM
should i wait till you do further harrowings before working more on the Phantom Cats?

Lord_Gareth
2011-03-23, 12:21 AM
should i wait till you do further harrowings before working more on the Phantom Cats?

There's plenty of Harrowings made already, so unless you feel something essential is missing, tally ho!

Bhu
2011-03-23, 12:25 AM
Kewl! fluff is up for it if you want a peek.

Kallisti
2011-03-23, 02:29 PM
The Slendertouched shouldn't have any problems per se, but the addition of Harrowings means that it's behind the curve. Additionally, the feat that the Slendertouched required became a Harrowing.

It still gets bonus Harrowed feats, though. Thanks to Forced Harrowing, that can become half Harrowing progression. If you think it should be run with full Harrowing progression and lose the bonus feats, that'd work just fine for me.

Since Shadowmental became Tenebrous, I figured that Shadowmental Mantle was now Tenebrous Mantle, meaning they can qualify at fifth if they meet the special requirements and take their first level at sixth. Which seems to work nicely, since it means you won't get the ninth and tenth level abilities until fourteenth and fifteenth respectively, when they're no longer such a problem.

That said, I missed the deadline, so unless the DM is feeling generous it might be a while before I have any actual play data from this character. He might work as a villain for a campaign I'll be running soon-ish, though Kobold-Bard is awesome and playtest data should be up beginning soon.

EDIT:
Here's the original sheet for the character. (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=284697) Once I'm more satisfied with the to-hit bonuses, I'll probably add Aberrant Blood, Inhuman Reach, and Deepspawn, for more tentacles. Ideally I'd dip some Ozodrin on the Binder side, but that's not kosher for this particular game.

Elfstone
2011-03-23, 02:48 PM
Wow I just got around to actually reading this fully....

Awesome. Im so using this in my campaign as the bad guys. Those who give in often to the monster within...

Great class.

Sengachi
2011-03-24, 05:47 PM
Over the past week, I've made at least 20 lists of possible Harrowed harrowings and feats. I've noticed two problems. Take a look at the below list, and you'll probably see the first one.

Natural Attack Harrowed
Level
Harrowings
1 HB Savagery
3 Armoring will
5 Chains of Will
7 HB Butchery
9 Rending Gift
11 Unholy Reach
12 “Profane Transcendence”
13 Phantom Rip
15 Lashing Tail
17 Bestial Armor
19 One free Harrowing

Feats
1 Dark Deal Butchery Pact
3 Iron Will
6 INA (claws)
9 Multiattack
12 Forced Harrowing
15 Forced Harrowing
18 One free Feat

There is one free feat (none at all if you want to finesse), and one free harrowing, likely taken up by HB flight. Try making other natural attack Harrowed. They are all identical! One of the things I love about the Harrowed is the sheer variety inherent to them. Natural attack harrowed have none of that. They're more stoic than any other build I've every seen. A bunch of carbon-copy clones of one-another. Something needs to be changed.

Then there are stealth Harrowed. Profane Hunter and Predatory Obfuscation are great stealth abilities and honestly all a harrowed needs to hide like a ninja. But they can't do anything with their stealth. I test-ran a stealth Harrowed, and all their stealth gives them is a choice of whether to fight or not, and a surprise round. Not worth the three harrowings required to build a stealth harrowed (Bestial Senses is a prerequisite of Profane Hunter).

So what is to be done? My suggestion (though if there are others, please, do tell) is to make them akin to hunters. By which I mean, add the path option. A Harrowed could choose between normal, Natural Attack, and stealth. A normal Harrowed is a normal Harrowed. The other two types only get Harrowings at levels 1,4,7,10,13,16,19 (3 less than normal).

A natural attack harrowed would first of all, start with no weapon-proficiencies beyond light armor and natural proficiencies. At level 1, they get HB Savagery. At level 5, HB Butchery. At level 10, Unholy Reach. At level 15, Lashing Tail. Their seven other feats (8 if human) and harrowings belong to them to use. I understand this may have more power than it should, if there are any suggestions, I would love them.

A stealth harrowed would gain 1d6 sneak attack damage on levels 2,5,8,11,13,17,20 (7d6 in all), and Bestial Senses at level 3 (Profane Hunter, can of course be taken alongside Bestial Senses). I think this would turn stealth Harrowed into something different from every other type of Harrowed, while leaving the ability to gain stealthiness to other types of Harrowed.

I understand my solution is not perfect, and complicates the Harrowed class greatly. If anyone has suggestions, please give them. But at the very least, the fact remains that natural attack Harrowed are horribly constricted and something must be done about this. Lord Gareth, I apologize if I'm imposing too much with this suggestion.

Lord_Gareth
2011-03-29, 01:55 AM
I've been considering this problem myself, and the only real solution I can come up with is MOAR HARROWINGS. I'll also wait on Djinn's ideas.

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-29, 09:04 AM
Alright...I'm not going to give a Harrowing-by-Harrowing critique, 'cause I currently don't like how you're doing Harrowings.

Where you could be using a simple and fair level-based requirement system (ala the Warlock's Invocations, for example), you've chosen the Ability/Feat based system that Feats use...and this forces Harrowed to select and increase certain ability scores just to get powers they might be interested in. This should change, in my mind. Maybe have Harrowing prerequisites (you have to take X before you take Y), but do away with the other stuff in favor of a simpler tiered or level-based system.

Further, many of the Harrowings aren't actually balanced against others, and, because of the system you're using, it's hard to tell which ones are supposed to be balanced against each other. Some (Hellborn Savagery, Shadowed Soul, Hell-born Flight) are so good as to be almost mandatory, while others are worthless in at least 50% of situations. I'm also not a fan of the mix of static abilities, at-will abilities, spell-like abilities, and per-day abilities that are granted through Harrowings...mixing them up so much seems odd. I'd at least cut the per day abilities from the list.

All told, the Harrowings didn't particularly impress me. I don't get the "twisted soul" vibe that the rest of the class gives me: I'm getting a "oooh...free shinies" vibe, especially with the over-prevalence of natural attacks and cool one-off tricks, which the class itself already gets a lot of.

I think the only ones I'm completely happy with are Unholy Communion and Nightmare Mind.

Yes, I'm being hyper-critical. The Harrowings that exist are certainly functional. But I've known you for years, Gareth...and you can do better than this in terms of flavorful and interesting options. And, damn it, show me some flavor. You've basically got a free ticket to tell me what these corruptions do and give the players a starting place for some good RP, and instead I get sentences like "A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing enjoys a +2 profane bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells or abilities." Why not being with, say, "A Harrowed with the Nightmare Mind Harrowing is in constant conflict with the Beast, as it stalks her every waking thought. While this mental battle takes great toll on the Harrowed's psyche, her mind is all but inaccessible to outside forces." Now we know what it does, and I, as a player, see the ability as more than a static bonus.

Realms of Chaos
2011-03-29, 11:33 AM
Yes, I'm being hyper-critical. The Harrowings that exist are certainly functional. But I've known you for years, Gareth...and you can do better than this in terms of flavorful and interesting options. And, damn it, show me some flavor. You've basically got a free ticket to tell me what these corruptions do and give the players a starting place for some good RP, and instead I get sentences like "A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing enjoys a +2 profane bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells or abilities." Why not being with, say, "A Harrowed with the Nightmare Mind Harrowing is in constant conflict with the Beast, as it stalks her every waking thought. While this mental battle takes great toll on the Harrowed's psyche, her mind is all but inaccessible to outside forces." Now we know what it does, and I, as a player, see the ability as more than a static bonus.

From a practical standpoint, there may be a bit of a problem with having every single harrowed act as a supreme gem of RP waiting to happen.

Namely, you get 10 of them (or more with feats). :smallconfused:

While your version of nightmare mind sounds fun, I want you to try imagine RPing as the following character.

Your harrowed is in constant conflict with the beast, having it stalk their every thought and run your psyche into the ground, even as it blocks any external mental influence. At the same time, the beast lurks in every shadow around you, helping you fuse in perfectly with the shadows but threatening to pull you forever into the darkness the moment that you let down your guard. At the same time, your beast is also wreaking havoc on your body, forcing it into a horrid shape and filling you with violent impulses as it forces claws out from your hands. At the same time, your beast is no longer satisfied with merely your soul, whispering soft secrets to the souls of others but allowing you to communicate with others telepathically. At the same time, your beast is slowly crushing the life out of you, a vice that constantly reminds you of the burden your bury, even as it deflects attacks made against you. At the same time, you have ingeniously found a way to fight back against the beast within you, harnessing the metaphysical chains that bind it to protect yourself from harm and to suppress the beast.

... Yeah, and that's only 6 of 10. Trying to add thick layers of flavor to each and every ability has the risk of overloading an average player. In addition, too many abilities have overlapping flavor (such as the various natural attacks) so it seems to make more sense that those gained after the first is simply the original problem getting worse.

Perhaps a huge amount of flavor could work if the harrowings worked on highly-flavored tracks (gathering the various shadow-based abilities, natural weapon abilities, sensory abilities, mental abilities, and so forth). Perhaps grant a new ability track at 1st level and every 4 levels afterwards and let the harrowed advance a path at each odd level after 1st.

Then again, I like the harrowed as it is so I may be biased against change. :smalltongue:

radmelon
2011-03-29, 11:49 AM
Maybe a compromise? How about you just have a small amount of fluff for each harrowing?

An example for Nightmare Mind would be: "Although the presence of the beast in the harrowed's head can be uncomfortable at times, there's only so much room in one skull giving a +2 bonus...".

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-03-29, 11:54 AM
From a practical standpoint, there may be a bit of a problem with having every single harrowed act as a supreme gem of RP waiting to happen.

Namely, you get 10 of them (or more with feats). :smallconfused:

True. What I gave was just an example. I didn't properly consider all the implications.

Still, basically, my point stands. I find the current Harrowings largely uninteresting and largely un-flavorful. :smallfrown:

Lord_Gareth
2011-03-29, 11:57 AM
True. What I gave was just an example. I didn't properly consider all the implications.

Still, basically, my point stands. I find the current Harrowings largely uninteresting and largely un-flavorful. :smallfrown:

In my defense, I was largely focused on just finishing the damned things, and once I was, I was all like, "Holy crap that was a lotta 'brew, I need a break."

Kallisti
2011-03-29, 05:28 PM
In building my harrowed character, yeah, I felt like many of the per-day harrowings were pretty underwhelming. I agree with some of what Djinn said, but not all of it--I feel like Harrowings would work best as a collection of static or at-will abilities, and per day stuff should be a class feature. Maybe collect the per-day harrowings into a separate pool of abilities and give those out every five levels?

Aergoth
2011-03-29, 07:08 PM
Perhaps to use a comparison, the at will/encouter abilities are maneuvers and the per day are stances. Only in terms of how often one gets these particular features of course.

Lord_Gareth
2011-04-12, 01:52 AM
Alright, certain Harrowings are going to become feats. Harrowing pre-reqs will shortly be edited, and fluff (at least a sentence or two) will be added in. New Harrowings will also be forthcoming. Still accepting any and all ideas!

I promise I'll read the Beast Driven soon. Really. I totally will.

Sengachi
2011-04-12, 06:30 PM
I think I have a few suggestions. I'll have to think on exactly how it would work, but each of these Harrowings would add an ability to a Natural attack.

Tentacles get a grapple Harrowing
The tail gets a trip Harrowing
The claws get a sunder Harrowing which burns a use of Tenebrous Touch (melee) (will save for this one?)
The jaws get a rend harrowing (hit with one claw and jaws = extra dmg)

I'll give some specifics for these soon.

Lord_Gareth
2011-07-17, 11:40 PM
I think I have a few suggestions. I'll have to think on exactly how it would work, but each of these Harrowings would add an ability to a Natural attack.

Tentacles get a grapple Harrowing
The tail gets a trip Harrowing
The claws get a sunder Harrowing which burns a use of Tenebrous Touch (melee) (will save for this one?)
The jaws get a rend harrowing (hit with one claw and jaws = extra dmg)

I'll give some specifics for these soon.

Some of these ideas are currently in the works, and I am gleefully accepting more!

Cipher Stars
2011-07-18, 09:08 AM
Insidious Chaos: The Harrowed’s beast is infused with the roiling energies of chaos. It is likely to be temperamental, fickle, and otherwise unpredictable. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of a random energy damage, plus an additional 1d4 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is the random damage and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. The Tenebrous Touch manifests as a multicolor array of energies, those struck must make a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be dazed until the end of its next turn.
{table=head]d8 | damage|d8 | damage
1|Cold|5|Sonic
2|Fire|6|Force
3|Electric|7|Positive
4|Acid|8|Negative[/table]


The list of random damage may be a bit much, but I thought I should make it actually worth only d4 damage. (Prismatic effects are usually less damage :/ but random)

NeoSeraphi
2011-07-18, 12:01 PM
Hey, Gareth, I thought I'd just let you know that one of my players has requested this class in my game, and I'll be allowing it. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes. (Or you could read the game as it goes, it's on this site)

Veklim
2011-07-18, 03:42 PM
Sweet class dude, but just thought I'd point out this (almost completely unimportant) error. You mention this in the Abilities section at the beginning:

...and Dexterity is essential for accurate use of their Shadowmental Touch......but I think it's been re-named Tenebrous Touch in the class itself. Just thought I'd let you know since you seem to be shooting for perfection here... :smallbiggrin:

Plantae
2011-07-18, 04:52 PM
I know a few people here have already mentioned making a stealth-oriented Harrowed more viable, but I don't think I saw anyone mention the easiest solution. Just create a feat that makes Rogue/Harrowed levels stack for the purpose of determining sneak attack damage, and possibly also Tenebrous Touch.

boomwolf
2011-07-18, 05:24 PM
If he does that then a Tenebrous Sneak Attack will quickly ramp to insane damage levels, some of it elemental, and another not subject to any resistance.

BAD idea.

But I love Cipherthe3vil's idea. fit in well with all the chaotic nature of the class...

Cipher Stars
2011-07-18, 10:55 PM
Kokoroken (http://images.wikia.com/monsterhunter/images/b/ba/Katana_Night.png)
The blade of Souls.
The demigod quietly called out to the harrowed soul.
"Freedom be with you"
The Harrowed, dominated by his beast, showed no signs of restraint, and charged the warrior. The Warrior, however, stood unwavering. Eyes closed, hand resting across her blade. As the Harrowed closed on her, she struck in a flash. The dark blade suddenly in her outstretched hands.
The Harrowed writhed on the ground before her, skin warping and tearing until a spectral demon rose from the body. Charging now she cut the ghostly form and it dissipated, absorbing into the blade.
The Demigod turned to the man was breathing steadily. He survived after all, now to live on free from his curse.

Kokoroken is a legendary blade owned, or previously owned, by the Demigod Shiroyuri. The Spirit Warrior. Said to have been crafted by a collective of Death gods, it holds the power to separate any manner of possession, trap souls, consume souls, and kill even the already dead.

{table=head]Weapon | Special Properties | Damage | Weight | Size | Value
Kokoroken | Ghost Touch, effects Ethereal, Soul Steal, Sever Connection | 2d6 | 6lbs | Large | Artifact [/table]

Ghost Touch/Ethereal: Kokoroken works on incorporeal and Ethereal creatures with no penalty.

Large: Kokoroken is a Large katana-like blade. Or "Daikatana"

Soul Steal: Creatures slain by Kokoroken are sealed within the blade. Which from then on permanently adds 1 hardness and 1 hp to the blade until the soul is removed. Once per round as a standard action, Kokoroken can release a soul which escapes in a potent effect causing a 100ft Cone of untyped damage equal to the HD of the soul as d6's. Randomly roll 1d20 to determine the soul's HD if you do not know any souls within the blade, if you know one or some you can call upon those specific souls if you wish.
Kokoroken has no limit on held souls.

Sever Connection: The ultimate ability to sever ties, bindings, seals, fusions, pacts, ect.
Any creature that has a pact with some creature, is bound or has bindings, is sealed or has seals, or is otherwise fused or tied to another creature has this connection severed.
This severing is absolute, it breaks ones ties to deities, demons, anything including the Harrowed's Beast.
To use Sever Connection, one must focus they're whole turn to deliver a single attack as a full round action. This may be used with Iajutsu Focus and other modifiers. The attack uses your highest BAB.
Sever Connection works with Soul Steal in cases in which a sever connection severs a possession or other form of connection in which one or more members of the connection share one body, in which case the intruder is absorbed within the blade if it fails a will save DC 40.

A Harrowed's beast may or may not be effected by the absorbing effect, depends on the DM and what they see for the beast.

The connection leaves all physical modifications and a lingering force. a Harrowed does not loose Harrowings, or any class features besides Beast Within. However, Wish Spells and the like can remove unwanted features from now on.

Divine spellcasting and the like isn't based on an actual connection, its your faith to the deity who in turn grants you spells.

Otherwise connections can easily be re-established if both parties are still in existence, and willing.

Halae
2011-07-18, 11:00 PM
Sever Connection: The ultimate ability to sever ties, bindings, seals, fusions, pacts, ect.
Any creature that has a pact with some creature, is bound or has bindings, is sealed or has seals, or is otherwise fused or tied to another creature has this connection severed.

While I like the weapon, this part really bugs me. in fact, it irks me beyond belief.

The idea of the Harrowed is that the person is carrying a trapped entity with them, right? your class relies on this fact. Meaning, if you get hit bit this sword you lose all those class features you worked so hard for. This not only applies to Harrowed, but also Warlocks, and any divine caster that gets their spells from a god, because of the somewhat loose wording.

Honestly? I think it's a bad choice for an otherwise good weapon.

Cipher Stars
2011-07-18, 11:09 PM
While I like the weapon, this part really bugs me. in fact, it irks me beyond belief.

The idea of the Harrowed is that the person is carrying a trapped entity with them, right? your class relies on this fact. Meaning, if you get hit bit this sword you lose all those class features you worked so hard for. This not only applies to Harrowed, but also Warlocks, and any divine caster that gets their spells from a god, because of the somewhat loose wording.

Honestly? I think it's a bad choice for an otherwise good weapon.

hm? "Your class"?
Anyway, thats why its a legendary artifact wielded by demigods.
I don't know about Warlocks, never looked into'em. But it only removes the Beast, The harrowed itself would remain tainted with the power its stolen from it, all it does is effectively remove the Beast Within feature.
As for Divine casters, I don't see how its a connection. just a relation in which I believe in you, get others to believe in you, you give me stuff. Kinda like paying someone for an item. Only your exchanging with a Deity who doesn't care so much about money, but needs followers to gain power. well, and you don't actually ever see them.

Guest#1
2011-07-18, 11:10 PM
While I like the weapon, this part really bugs me. in fact, it irks me beyond belief.

The idea of the Harrowed is that the person is carrying a trapped entity with them, right? your class relies on this fact. Meaning, if you get hit bit this sword you lose all those class features you worked so hard for. This not only applies to Harrowed, but also Warlocks, and any divine caster that gets their spells from a god, because of the somewhat loose wording.

Honestly? I think it's a bad choice for an otherwise good weapon.

wow...fancy meeting you here...I've been subscribing to this thread to see how it came along...thought it was dead for a while, but nope! anyways, i agree, and yeah...probably should have thought of something useful to say... *POOF* PolterGuest, awaaaayyy!

Halae
2011-07-18, 11:19 PM
hm? "Your class"?
Anyway, thats why its a legendary artifact wielded by demigods.
I don't know about Warlocks, never looked into'em. But it only removes the Beast, The harrowed itself would remain tainted with the power its stolen from it, all it does is effectively remove the Beast Within feature.
As for Divine casters, I don't see how its a connection. just a relation in which I believe in you, get others to believe in you, you give me stuff. Kinda like paying someone for an item. Only your exchanging with a Deity who doesn't care so much about money, but needs followers to gain power. well, and you don't actually ever see them.

Admittedly, it's meant to be wielded by something righteously powerful, but the simple wording of the ability is poor is all I was getting at, and because of how players are, if it exists, they'll steal it so they can abuse it.

In any case, "it breaks ones ties to deities, demons, anything including the Harrowed's Beast". Warlocks gain their class features by channeling demonic or devilish energy. Clerics channel the power of the gods. The harrowed only is warped because of their beast.

The cleric (And all other god worshiping divine classes) and Warlock would all lose their supernatural class features - ie, everything that makes them better than the warrior class. The Harrowed, at least going by the DMs I've run with, would take away every class ability that could be tied to the beast if I was a harrowed and hit by this - meaning everything, and my feats would all become wasted as well, making me even worse than the warrior class.

Owrtho
2011-07-19, 01:19 AM
The cleric (And all other god worshiping divine classes) and Warlock would all lose their supernatural class features - ie, everything that makes them better than the warrior class. The Harrowed, at least going by the DMs I've run with, would take away every class ability that could be tied to the beast if I was a harrowed and hit by this - meaning everything, and my feats would all become wasted as well, making me even worse than the warrior class.

I'd have to agree with this. There is a reason everyone who worships a deity isn't a divine casters, as the casters are the ones who have established a connection with their god. As for the harrowed, while i could see the physical changes remaining (you keep any natural attacks you gained, and possibly other similar things), most any other abilities would be lost, as the harrowed only really steals the power it is actively using, making it more channelling it (as they don't hoard it for later use).

Also, depending on how one interprets the connection, they would still be a harrowed (as in a vessel to contain a beast of unspeakable power), but just have lost their ability to draw on its power (at least until they die and are reborn as harrowed are, though that may still fail to re-establish the connection depending on DM ruling), or you just unleashed a beast of unspeakable power onto the world and effectively destroyed the universe, including yourself (as the beasts are unbeatable, more powerful than most anything else in existence, and the only thing that could stop it was the chains binding it to the harrowed, which you just cut).

Owrtho

Cipher Stars
2011-07-19, 01:25 AM
Also, depending on how one interprets the connection, they would still be a harrowed (as in a vessel to contain a beast of unspeakable power), but just have lost their ability to draw on its power (at least until they die and are reborn as harrowed are, though that may still fail to re-establish the connection depending on DM ruling), or you just unleashed a beast of unspeakable power onto the world and effectively destroyed the universe, including yourself (as the beasts are unbeatable, more powerful than most anything else in existence, and the only thing that could stop it was the chains binding it to the harrowed, which you just cut).

Owrtho


this is just how i interpret.
but as you said, its a being of unspeakable power. meaning it obviously would leave the Harrowed with power just by being connected with the poor soul for eternity until then.
Also, it doesn't so much release it as it does change prison from the living creature, to the artifact.
depends on the DM though.

Lord_Gareth
2011-07-19, 08:04 AM
Wee, new stuff cropping up everywhere! I've only got the time to comment on the artifact for the moment, but here goes nothing:


Kokoroken (http://images.wikia.com/monsterhunter/images/b/ba/Katana_Night.png)
The blade of Souls.
The demigod quietly called out to the harrowed soul.
"Freedom be with you"
The Harrowed, dominated by his beast, showed no signs of restraint, and charged the warrior. The Warrior, however, stood unwavering. Eyes closed, hand resting across her blade. As the Harrowed closed on her, she struck in a flash. The dark blade suddenly in her outstretched hands.
The Harrowed writhed on the ground before her, skin warping and tearing until a spectral demon rose from the body. Charging now she cut the ghostly form and it dissipated, absorbing into the blade.
The Demigod turned to the man was breathing steadily. He survived after all, now to live on free from his curse.

Kokoroken is a legendary blade owned, or previously owned, by the Demigod Shiroyuri. The Spirit Warrior. Said to have been crafted by a collective of Death gods, it holds the power to separate any manner of possession, trap souls, consume souls, and kill even the already dead.

You'll note in the Harrowed description that even greater deities (and, at the DM's discretion, overdeities) fail consistently to affect the prison containing the Beast Within. The description under "The Monster Within" actually mentions artifacts specifically as being ineffective, and it does so quite on purpose - being divested of all of your class features is pretty much the exact opposite of fun.

TL;DR - Removing the Beast Within is way above the pay grade of a demigod.


{table=head]Weapon | Special Properties | Damage | Weight | Size | Value
Kokoroken | Ghost Touch, effects Ethereal, Soul Steal, Sever Connection | 2d6 | 6lbs | Large | Artifact [/table]

Ghost Touch/Ethereal: Kokoroken works on incorporeal and Ethereal creatures with no penalty.

Large: Kokoroken is a Large katana-like blade. Or "Daikatana"

Making it a Large bastard sword works, but at that point why not just make it a Medium greatsword?

Also, try this on for size:

Phantasmal Strike: Kokoroken is treated as having the ghost touch property. Additionally, it allows its wielder to see into the Ethereal Plane (provided the plane they are on connects to it) and freely strike ethereal creatures (again, provided the plane they are on connects to the ethereal plane).


Soul Steal: Creatures slain by Kokoroken are sealed within the blade. Which from then on permanently adds 1 hardness and 1 hp to the blade until the soul is removed. Once per round as a standard action, Kokoroken can release a soul which escapes in a potent effect causing a 100ft Cone of untyped damage equal to the HD of the soul as d6's. Randomly roll 1d20 to determine the soul's HD if you do not know any souls within the blade, if you know one or some you can call upon those specific souls if you wish.
Kokoroken has no limit on held souls.

Artifacts are unbreakable except by truly heroic efforts, such as by grinding them between the gears of Mechanus, bathing them in the grateful tears of a thousand mothers whose stillborn children were resurrected, or having a greater deity break an oath sworn on the weapon; essentially, making the sword tougher with every soul is a non-useful effect. Also, wording cleanup!

Steal Souls: Creatures slain by Kokoroken have their souls removed and sealed within the blade. While the soul is trapped within Kokoroken, it cannot be raised or ressurected by anything short of divine intervention (which removes it from the blade), but is also utterly safe from harm. Once per round, as a standard action, the wielder of Kokoroken may unleash one of its stored souls, propelling it forth as a 100 foot cone of pure divine energy (dealing 1d6 points of damage per hit die the soul possessed in life) and allowing the soul to move on to its proper afterlife, be raised and ressurected, et cetera. Kokoroken is always found with no souls in its blade; whenever it passes to a new wielder, it releases those that it formerly kept prisoner, harmlessly allowing them to slip from the blade.


Sever Connections

This is just poorly worded and, in a few cases, poorly thought-out, but the essential idea is a good one. May I suggest:

Sever Connections: Kokoroken's ultimate ability is its power to disrupt connections and sunder divine contracts. Its wielder makes a melee attack as a full-round action; if the attack succeeds, its victim must succeed at a DC 40 Will save or have their connections to other entities utterly disrupted. Beings that use divine spellcasting lose access to their divine spellcasting and divinely-granted spell-like abilities for 24 hours, beings benefiting from contracts with the outer planes (including but not limited to: deals with devils, exalted feats, and warlock class levels) lose access to those benefits for 24 hours, and Harrowed that fail their save against the effect lose access to all of their class features except for Harrowings for 24 hours (additionally, they lose all access to [Harrowed] feats during that time). At the end of that 24 hour period, the wielder of Kokoroken may choose to permanently sacrifice a point of Wisdom; if they do, all beings currently affected by its Sever Connections ability are instead affected for the period of one month, at the end of which they regain access to their abilities.

Cipher Stars
2011-07-19, 08:51 AM
Making it a Large bastard sword works, but at that point why not just make it a Medium greatsword?
Hm? I read somewhere the Greatsword was large... oh well.
Nothing should ever be more potent then overdeities, they're supposedly the equivalent of true gods. Rather then mere "Deities". Who think on universal scales, and can't be bothered with even an entire planets worth of troubles.
If some [(Demon? Elemental?)] was more powerful then an overdeity nothing could really keep it with one mortal creature...

I like you changes to the artifact (and appreciate rewording, fixing, ect), though the point of it was to provide a way to be freed from the beast.
Don't get me wrong (WAAAAAAAAAY wrong mind you), I love the class. just some fluff discrepancies/views or what ever appropriate word fits there.
Oh and to the poorly thought out comment.... nothing I make is ever "thought out" :3


Kokoroken (http://images.wikia.com/monsterhunter/images/b/ba/Katana_Night.png)
The blade of Souls.
Kokoroken is a legendary blade owned, or previously owned, by the Demigod Shiroyuri. The Spirit Warrior. Said to have been crafted by a collective of Death gods, it holds the power to separate any manner of possession, trap souls, and kill even the already dead.

{table=head]Weapon | Special Properties | Damage | Weight | Size | Value
Kokoroken | Phantasmal Strike, Soul Steal, Sever Connection | 2d8 | 6lbs | Medium | Artifact [/table]

Manefestation: Kokoroken is a faint legend, Its said to appears as a Fullblade, Large Bastard sword, or Daikatana. Depending on the era, or location it respawned into existence again. All three blades share the same stats, no real change to listed mechanics beyond cosmetic alterations to fluff.

Phantasmal Strike: Kokoroken is treated as having the ghost touch property. Additionally, it allows its wielder to see into the Ethereal Plane (provided the plane they are on connects to it) and freely strike ethereal creatures (again, provided the plane they are on connects to the ethereal plane).

Steal Souls: Creatures slain by Kokoroken have their souls removed and sealed within the blade. While the soul is trapped within Kokoroken, it cannot be raised or resurrected by anything short of divine intervention of two deities, or a deity of death (which removes it from the blade), but is also utterly safe from harm. Once per round, as a standard action, the wielder of Kokoroken may unleash one of its stored souls, propelling it forth as a 100 foot cone of pure divine energy (dealing 1d6 points of damage per hit die the soul possessed in life) and allowing the soul to move on to its proper afterlife, be raised and resurrected, et cetera. Kokoroken is always found with no souls in its blade; whenever it passes to a new wielder, it releases those that it formerly kept prisoner, harmlessly allowing them to slip from the blade.

Sever Connections: Kokoroken's ultimate ability is its power to disrupt connections and sunder divine contracts. Its wielder makes a melee attack as a full-round action; if the attack succeeds, its victim must succeed at a DC 40 Will save or have their connections to other entities utterly disrupted. Beings that use divine spellcasting lose access to their divine spellcasting and divinely-granted spell-like abilities for 24 hours, beings benefiting from contracts with the outer planes (including but not limited to: deals with devils, exalted feats, and warlock class levels) lose access to those benefits for 24 hours, and Harrowed that fail their save against the effect lose access to all of their class features except for Harrowings for 24 hours (additionally, they lose all access to [Harrowed] feats during that time). At the end of that 24 hour period, the wielder of Kokoroken may choose to permanently sacrifice a point of Wisdom; if they do, all beings currently affected by its Sever Connections ability are instead affected for the period of one month, at the end of which they regain access to their abilities.

Lord_Gareth
2011-07-19, 10:37 AM
If some [(Demon? Elemental?)] was more powerful then an overdeity nothing could really keep it with one mortal creature...

The term you're looking for is Plane-Devouring Abomination. The default fluff (which is in no way required for use in your games; this is just how I run Harrowed) is that these things, when free and loose, operate on the same power level as The Lady of Pain. The section on fighting The Beast Within simply reads: "You lose." Ages and ages and ages ago, beings of similar power trapped them within mortal souls with sorceries far beyond the comprehension of anything currently alive, and Harrowed were the result.

This is, of course, utterly up to change in your game, but I'll say this again: losing all of your class features and becoming a mildly upgraded Commoner is fun for precisely no one.

Cipher Stars
2011-07-19, 10:50 AM
The term you're looking for is Plane-Devouring Abomination. The default fluff (which is in no way required for use in your games; this is just how I run Harrowed) is that these things, when free and loose, operate on the same power level as The Lady of Pain. The section on fighting The Beast Within simply reads: "You lose." Ages and ages and ages ago, beings of similar power trapped them within mortal souls with sorceries far beyond the comprehension of anything currently alive, and Harrowed were the result.

This is, of course, utterly up to change in your game, but I'll say this again: losing all of your class features and becoming a mildly upgraded Commoner is fun for precisely no one.

*googles Lady of Pain for first time*
Meh... >>

Anyway, how was Insidious Chaos?

NineThePuma
2011-07-19, 02:54 PM
Just poking my head in, but one of the players for my upcoming campaign has expressed interest in the 'possesses a sealed eldritch abomination/demon/Elder-Evil' archtype, and so I'll be having a Harrowed in my upcoming game.

Granted, the fluff is a bit different (she's only the FIRST reincarnation) and she's only got Negative Energy Tenebrous Touch to play with, but hey. The mechanics are there. :smallamused:

Cieyrin
2011-07-19, 06:51 PM
Hm? I read somewhere the Greatsword was large... oh well.

In 3.0, perhaps. Weapon size in 3.5 is a measure of the typical wielder, as opposed to the the weapon's actual size. It was an attempt to simplify, which I don't think worked terribly well but them's the breaks.

If you're going by how much damage you want the artifact to use, Greatsword would be the matching weapon. If you want a large Bastard Sword, may I suggest the Full Blade (Arms and Equipment Guide), which is essentially a large Bastard Sword with special rules for medium wielders to still be able to use one. Its other name is Ogre's Bastard Sword, so yeah, that may be what you're looking for. A large bastard sword and a full blade both do 2d8, which is one size category larger on the weapon table, incidentally.

Lord_Gareth
2011-07-20, 08:16 AM
Insidious Chaos: The Harrowed’s beast is infused with the roiling energies of chaos. It is likely to be temperamental, fickle, and otherwise unpredictable. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of a random energy damage, plus an additional 1d4 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is the random damage and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. The Tenebrous Touch manifests as a multicolor array of energies, those struck must make a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be dazed until the end of its next turn.
{table=head]d8 | damage|d8 | damage
1|Cold|5|Sonic
2|Fire|6|Force
3|Electric|7|Positive
4|Acid|8|Negative[/table]


The list of random damage may be a bit much, but I thought I should make it actually worth only d4 damage. (Prismatic effects are usually less damage :/ but random)

Honestly, I can't see anything wrong with it, I just...don't like it. Can't figure out why.

Cipher Stars
2011-07-20, 08:25 AM
Honestly, I can't see anything wrong with it, I just...don't like it. Can't figure out why.

maybe... to many energy options?
you could reduce it to:
{table=head] d4 | damage
1 | Fire
2 | Cold
3 | Electric
4 | Acid
[/table]
And as such you'd be able to boost the damage to d6 instead of d4, since its using the common energies with no chance of Sonic or something with obscure resistances.
(I don't like the idea of the main move being only a d4 anyway)

Owrtho
2011-07-20, 04:43 PM
I'd suggest changing the Dazed part. the ability to daze opponents with an at will ability is fairly powerful, as they can't take any actions for the round. I'd suggest Dazzled for a status that suggests a simmilar fluff but wouldn't be as powerful. Particularly when you factor in the prismatic effect making it so you almost always will be able to get around immunity or resistance (at least on some attacks).

Owrtho

Cipher Stars
2011-07-20, 04:49 PM
I'd suggest changing the Dazed part. the ability to daze opponents with an at will ability is fairly powerful, as they can't take any actions for the round. I'd suggest Dazzled for a status that suggests a simmilar fluff but wouldn't be as powerful. Particularly when you factor in the prismatic effect making it so you almost always will be able to get around immunity or resistance (at least on some attacks).

Owrtho

Dazzled. seriously? that has to be one of the most underwhelming effects in the game. That plus only 1d4 damage would be... completely not-worth it.


hm...

Is Confused better then?
maybe Blinded...

Or perhaps its Secondary effect mirrors the element of the ability who's energy it steals?

Fire would have the unholy-catch-them-on fire, Acid would have the half-damage-again-next-turn, ect.
It would still be balanced as:
You have no control over which ability you use.
You deal 1d4, rather then 1d6 damage (excluding the other 1d4 moves)

Owrtho
2011-07-20, 05:10 PM
Well, confusion would be better than Dazed, given it only has a 20% chance of making them lose all actions for the round, though that still seems like it could be a bit powerful for an ability gained at level 1 and is usable at will.

Blinded is a bit strong, but possibly not too bad.

The mirroring secondary effects could work, though in that case it really should have the reduced damage die and possibly a slightly lowered DC.

May also need to specify what happens with the resistance from Bestial Resilience though. Possibly have them roll to see if they have the appropriate resistance at the moment or else have it reduced.
(perhapse roll on the same table when taking energy damage. If you roll the matching number, you have your full resistance, if you roll within 1 value of it, you have half. Otherwise you have none. Count 1 and the last number as adjacent. Arguably works better if you use the set of 8 energies)

Owrtho

boomwolf
2011-07-20, 05:19 PM
I think the resistance should be just "full resistance on accurate, non if not." the adjacent thing makes it much more powerful at the 4 energy list, or completely senseless at the 8 energy (because you cant logically order it)

In general I think the best thing will be 1d6 damage of 4 types, with no secondary ability. the random damage is stronger then you first realize when you conclude that spellcasters will likely have spells to grant resistance to a given energy types, so many times the fixed attack is a 1-shot or only once at full power, while the random one don't even allow to put up such countermeasures...

Cipher Stars
2011-07-20, 05:23 PM
Well, confusion would be better than Dazed, given it only has a 20% chance of making them lose all actions for the round, though that still seems like it could be a bit powerful for an ability gained at level 1 and is usable at will.

Blinded is a bit strong, but possibly not too bad.

The mirroring secondary effects could work, though in that case it really should have the reduced damage die and possibly a slightly lowered DC.

May also need to specify what happens with the resistance from Bestial Resilience though. Possibly have them roll to see if they have the appropriate resistance at the moment or else have it reduced.
(perhapse roll on the same table when taking energy damage. If you roll the matching number, you have your full resistance, if you roll within 1 value of it, you have half. Otherwise you have none. Count 1 and the last number as adjacent. Arguably works better if you use the set of 8 energies)

Owrtho



Insidious Chaos: The Harrowed’s beast is infused with the roiling energies of chaos. It is likely to be temperamental, fickle, and otherwise unpredictable. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of a random energy damage, plus an additional 1d4 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is the random damage and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. The Tenebrous Touch manifests as a multicolor array of energies, those struck are affected by the secondary effect of the Tenebrous Touch the Insidious Chaos is mimicking.
{table=head]d8 | damage|d8 | damage
1|Cold|5|Sonic
2|Fire|6|Force
3|Electric|7|Positive
4|Acid|8|Negative[/table]
Resistances relying on the Harrowed's Tenebrous Touch don't always work. Roll 1d8, If the number is equal to the number given on the above table for the attacks energy, you are resistant to it. If its within one step, half the resistance applies. 1 and 8 are considered within one step.


EDIT:
Not willing to forfeit a secondary ability. Even as d6 its somewhat weaker then many abilities. but I guess thats where Dazzled could find use, for a low-impact secondary.
alternate

Insidious Chaos: The Harrowed’s beast is infused with the roiling energies of chaos. It is likely to be temperamental, fickle, and otherwise unpredictable. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of a random energy damage, plus an additional 1d4 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is the random damage and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. The Tenebrous Touch manifests as a multicolor array of energies, those struck must make a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be dazzled for 1d4 turns
{table=head]d8 | damage
1|Cold|
2|Fire|
3|Electric|
4|Acid|[/table]
Resistances relying on Tenebrous Touch don't always work. Roll a 1d4 using the table above. If you roll the opposing energy damage, resistance applies.

boomwolf
2011-07-21, 08:57 AM
If we are at it, I might as well suggest another one...a seriously anti-magic focused one, but inefficient versus melee, espcially other anti-magic melee)

Eldritch Malice: The Harrowed’s beast is suffused with pure unshaped magical energies. Her beast is likely to be alien, senseless and generally akward. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is pure magic and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to any kind of resistance. (the magic damage is being resisted by spell resistance) The pure magical energies causes magic around them to flux, if the attack hit any spell or spell like ability the target casts has a chance to fail equal to the damage dealt by the magic energy (but not the unholy one)

Resistances relying on Tenebrous Touch grant Spell Resistance of half that amount instead.



A bit insane, and quite lethal against casters, but could be a nice addition. and casters piss me off anyways.

Owrtho
2011-07-21, 03:51 PM
Eldritch Malice: The Harrowed’s beast is suffused with pure unshaped magical energies. Her beast is likely to be alien, senseless and generally akward. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is pure magic and half of which stems directly from unholy power and is not subject to any kind of resistance. (the magic damage is being resisted by spell resistance) The pure magical energies causes magic around them to flux, if the attack hit any spell or spell like ability the target casts has a chance to fail equal to the damage dealt by the magic energy (but not the unholy one)

When you say it's resisted by spell resistance, do you mean it treats it like normal energy resistance, or that it requires a check to overcome spell resistance? Also, in the former case that is rather weak, as spell resistance is often much higher than energy resistance at a given level.

Also, your wording on the flux ability is poor. You say when it hits a spell or spell like ability, but normally you would be targetting the caster. It would make more sense to have it affect any spells the caster is currectly casting or attempts to cast until the start of your next turn. You also don't mention what the failure chance is out of, and generally damage dealt would be quite low as it is only half a d6 (at first anyway). It might be better to require a concentration check DC 10 + magic damage dealt + charisma modifier, as that would be arround 50% chance as level 1, and each time a new die gets added have the chance to get a bit higher.


Resistances relying on Tenebrous Touch grant Spell Resistance of half that amount instead.

This seems odd. After all, at level 9 when you gain this, if the average spell you encounter will have a caster level arround 9, then that means they'll roll 1d20+9 to overcome your spell resistance. Even at the normal 10 that means they automaticall pass (as they only need to roll equal to). By making it 5, then it's even worse and can for the most part be ignored. I'd also note that most often SR is given in valuse such as 10+hd (or half hd depending on how strong they want it to be). It would make more sense to actually grant twice the spell resistance that you would normally gain energy resistance.

Owrtho

boomwolf
2011-07-21, 06:13 PM
I...didn't quite think it through...I just threw something into the air hoping gareth will sort it out x_x...

Lord_Gareth
2011-07-25, 10:07 AM
I...didn't quite think it through...I just threw something into the air hoping gareth will sort it out x_x...

Sorry, but I won't; I'm not going to give Harrowed players false hope of becoming "caster killers" when, in fact, it'd be more like breeding the world's largest and most ferocious house cat...to hunt elephants.

That being said:

Tenebrous Assassin [Harrowed]
You have learned to deliver vicious Tenebrous Touch attacks to vulnerable opponents.
Prerequisites: Profane Hunter harrowing, Sneak Attack, Sudden Strike or Skirmish +2d6 or Death Attack class feature(s).
Effect: Whenever you make a Sneak Attack or Death Attack with your Tenebrous Touch, the save DC for its secondary effect and/or the save DC for your Death Attack increases by two. Additionally, you gain two free skill ranks in both Hide and Move Silently, up to your class skill maximum.

Select a single class you possess levels in that advances the Sneak Attack, Sudden Strike, Skirmish or Death Attack features. Your levels in Harrowed stack with levels in that class for the purposes of advancing those features.

NineThePuma
2011-07-25, 01:12 PM
Tenebrous Assassin + Assassin = <3

Death Attack that is actually useful!

Lord_Gareth
2011-07-25, 01:39 PM
New Harrowings

Fiendish Sweep
Prerequisites: Lashing Tail
Effect: Whenever you make a successful strike with your tail slap, you may make a trip attempt against the struck enemy as a free action. You gain a +2 inherent bonus to the attempt, which does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and your victim cannot attempt to trip you back if you fail.

Unholy Constriction
Prerequisites: Unholy Reach, Base Attack Bonus +9
Effect: Whenever you strike an opponent with one of your tentacle attacks, you may initiate a grapple against that opponent as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. Both tentacle attacks are used in this grapple, granting you a +2 competence bonus to grapple rolls made as part of this Harrowing (but preventing you from making further tentacle attacks while you maintain the grapple). If you succeed, you begin to strangle and constrict your foe with your tentacles, providing you with a number of benefits in place of the normal grapple rules:

- As long as you remain within ten feet of your opponent, they remain immobilized (they cannot move or be moved out of their current space) rather than the normal effects of being grappled. They may still attempt to break free from the grapple once per round on their turn, rolling their Strength check or Escape Artist check against your grapple check as normal.

- Every round at the beginning of your turn, your victim takes damage as though struck by both of your tentacles. This does not trigger additional attacks or damage such as from the Rending Gift Harrowing or the Rake special ability.

- Whenever you channel your Tenebrous Touch through a melee attack, your victim takes damage as though struck in by your Tenebrous Touch, though they are not subject to its secondary effects.

- However, it takes intense focus to maintain such fine control over your opponent while still multitasking; saving throws vs. The Monster Within suffer a -4 circumstance penalty as long as you continue to grapple your victim in this fashion, as well as a -4 circumstance penalty to armor class and reflex saves. The grapple ends immediately if you move or are moved a greater distance from your victim than the total reach of your tentacles.

radmelon
2011-07-25, 03:33 PM
The title "Fiendish Drag" made me think of something else entirely.
Might want to think up a new name.

Bhu
2011-07-25, 04:31 PM
ooooh new stuffs...

Halae
2011-07-25, 04:40 PM
The title "Fiendish Drag" made me think of something else entirely.
Might want to think up a new name.

Agreed. Good simple ability, though

Lord_Gareth
2011-07-25, 10:57 PM
Demonic Sweep? Fiendish Sweep? Tail Sweep?

Halae
2011-07-25, 10:58 PM
Fiendish sweep seems like a good one to me

ZeroGear
2011-07-26, 01:25 PM
I have recently come across a race called the Dvati (dragon 271 and dragon magazine compendium). Now I know what you said about racial substitution levels earlier, but this race might be worthy of some mention. You see, the race consist of a set of twins that shares the same soul. Therefore, this may be applicable:

Substitutions:
1st:
The Monster Within (Su): If both bodies are within 5 feat of each other, the Dvati Harrowed gains a +2 bonus on will saves to keep control as both minds support each other to hold the beast in check. Should the save fail, both bodies get possessed. This ability augments the class feature.

3rd:
Shared Pain (Su): The inner monster links not just the senses of both bodies, but their pain as well. As an immediate action, when one body takes damage, the other may activate a shield other effect and take half the damage dealt to his counterpart. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to character's charisma bonus. This ability replaces the harrowing gained at 3rd level.

9th:
Body Switch (Su): The bond between the bodies exceeds space. As a standard action, the two bodies may exchange places with each other. The bodies appear in the exact location (and exact circumstance) as the body they switched with. Therefore a body switching with one that is bound will be bound in the exact same fashion. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to the character's charisma bonus. This ability replaces the standard harrowing gained at 9th level.

Admittedly, two identical beings that finish each other's sentences and gain wounds from each other has a rather creepy feel, eh?

Lord_Gareth
2011-07-27, 01:01 AM
I'm not touching Dvati with a ten foot pole unless someone presents me with a workable revision to the race; their mechanics are literally unplayable at the moment.

I desperately need folks to look over Unholy Constriction and tell me if I went too far.

Halae
2011-07-27, 01:06 AM
It's nowhere close to what a smart caster can do at about that level, so you're getting no objections from me. In fact, I've often wondered why you can't strangle with tentacles in normal DnD, so this adds another cool reason to play a Harrowed. I don't feel it's overpowered, personally. In fact, i think it's right up the alley of the harrowed in that it's powerful withoutbeing gamebreaking

So yeah, I think it's friggin awesome

Eurus
2011-07-27, 05:37 AM
Unholy Constriction seems reasonable. On the one hand it allows you to grapple someone while doing other stuff, but on the other, it merely immobilizes them (I'm assuming you're aware that Immobilize is a defined condition that prevents the target from leaving their square but allows them to act freely otherwise) so it's not a total lockdown.

Also, why did you abandon the Witch Doctor, you lazy mook? :smalltongue:

Lord_Gareth
2011-07-27, 09:44 AM
Because I can't think of Improved Mojo brews T_T

New Feats
Tainted Grace[Harrowed]
You have contrived to forge an agreement between your Beast and the source of your supernatural powers.
Prerequisites: Dark Deal, the character must possess class features (such as spells or supernatural abilities) that they would lose access to for changing alignment.
Benefit: You do not lose access to your alignment-based class features (such as the supernatural abilities of the paladin class or druid spellcasting) while the Monster Within is in control of your actions, even in the extremely likely event that it commits actions in violation of one or more of your codes of conduct.

Additionally, choose a single class feature that has limited uses per day from a class you possess that has an alignment restriction. Your levels in Harrowed stack with levels of that class for determining the advancement of that ability (such as uses per day of a barbarian's rage, or a cleric's turn undead).

Tenebrous Champion[Harrowed]
You draw upon the power of the Beast Within to punish your enemies.
Prerequisites: Dark Deal, Tenebrous Touch 2d6, Smite class feature 1/day or 1/encounter (examples include a Crusader's Smite ability, a Paladin's Smite Evil or a Blackguard's Smite Good)
Benefit: Your levels in Harrowed stack with levels in your Smite-granting classes (such as Crusader, Paladin, or Blackguard) for the purposes of determining the uses per day and damage of your Smite abilities. Additionally, if you use your Smite as part of a Tenebrous Touch attack (such as when you channel it through melee or with the Ranged Smiting feat), you instead add your Harrowed and Smite-granting class levels to the attack roll and an additional number of dice to the damage roll equal to your Charisma modifier. This additional damage stems from pure divine energy and is not subject to resistance of any kind.

Eurus
2011-07-30, 01:38 AM
Well those feats are pretty neat, although it's hard to say how good they'd be since it's a weird combination. I would suggest having them stack your Harrowed and paladin/whatever levels for the purpose of Tenebrous Touch, since that's likely to be your primary offense so it makes it less of a pain to try to invest more than one level into non-Harrowed classes.

Kellus
2011-07-30, 02:12 AM
Okay, so I never really looked over this class before now, so I've got a lot to catch up on. For starters, though, it's really cool. I like the idea of someone trying to contain a monstrosity inside them. That being said, I have reservations about how it would actually play, especially in a group that has alternate views on what alignment means. But moving past the core concept, here's my thoughts:

Minor Errata

Frigid Hate freezes an absurdly small amount of water with every shot.
The rider on Sky's Rage doesn't make any sense for people that don't depend on normal vision to detect enemies.
Why doesn't Screaming Hatred deal full damage to objects like most sonic effects?
The sixth level effect for Tenebrous Touch (as well as some other abilities) doesn't need to say that it doesn't provoke AoOs, since swift actions never do.
If a harrowed of 14th level uses the 6th level ability to imbue her weapon with the Death effect, which Will save DC do you use?
Tenebrous Mantle doesn't protect against acid arrows, because it only grants Damage Reduction. You don't get energy resistance until later.
Dark Whispers is Ex and requires a Will save. The Monster Within says, "whenever the Harrowed uses one of her activated supernatural abilities from this class..."
Hell-Born Savagery is so so much better than the other natural attacks that it's not even funny. More on this later.
Hell-Born Flight doesn't need to give Hover as a bonus feat, because good maneuverability already lets you hover.
Unholy Reach shouldn't provide secondary natural attacks that deal full Strength damage
Aquatic Adaptation should provide the normal things that come with a swim speed, which are a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks and the ability to take 10 on them.
Transcendant Stride says, "A Harrowing that develops this Harrowing..."
A harrowed that wants to be able to use medium armour needs to burn a feat and ALSO burn a second feat or dip just to get access to the proficiency. That's way too much trouble to go to just for medium armour.
Why is Refuse Bindings a move action of all things? Escaping from bindings and nets and stuff is a full-round action, which means most people would rather just give it a shot than light an action on fire for a small bonus on future attempts. Grapples are the exception (standard action) but move actions typically provoke attacks of opportunity. Also, there's no DC on the Will save for it, and there's no real mechanical reason to stop people from taking both this and Quiscent Beast.
I like the idea behind Dark Deal, but it seems too much like a feat tax that people are forced to take so that their party members don't murder them. I get the feeling this should just be a core part of the class, but I suppose some harroweds wouldn't want it.

Okay, so that's just the basic stuff. The other big thing that really stuck out for me is that the class is seirously lacking for offense. He seems to be set up to either be able to play in melee or as artillery. But the problem is that he doesn't really have enough firepower for either role. Tenebrous Touch is basically an eldritch blast which you don't have the option of messing around with blast shapes and energy types. The problem is the same that eldritch blast has, which is that the damage kind of sucks. It's basically as much damage as a rogue deals with a sneak attack, and they can get those multiple times in the same round just for flanking. I get that you have some riders and cool effects that come with it, but the fact that you never get to change or pick a new energy type kind of sucks.

The setup of 'half-profane half-real energy' seems good, but it's really not. It seems like it would be ideal against enemies with energy resistance to your normal type, but the truth is that you're just as handicapped against them as you would have been otherwise. Since you're still having up to half of your damage resisted by them, in a best case scenario you'll get half damage against something that would have been immune before. And that kind of sucks considering that you only get a single shot each round and that the damage kind of sucks already. And if the monster's energy resistance isn't at least half of your damage, you're getting no benefit at all.

Meanwhile, if you run into a situation where the energy type is helpful, like a fire attack against an ice demon or whatever, only half of the damage gets to count against its vulnerability. It's really the worst of both worlds even if it seems like a good idea. I suggest changing it to something like, "your Tenebrous Touch counts as either profane damage or (fire) damage, whichever is more helpful to you at the time". That way you get the same feel of ignoring energy resistance and still get the full benefit of having that energy type. Also, it seriously sucks that sonic and force damage get nerfed damage when half of the attack isn't even that energy type to start with.

Anyway, like I was saying way too little damage. There's a reason that eldritch glaive was a godsend for the warlock, because it let them get off multiple blasts in a single round. 10d6 damage at 20th level just is not enough to keep up.

As for melee, the harrowings are pretty sweet. I like the natural attacks and armour and perks and stuff like that. What I don't like is being expected to be constantly in melee to use these things with 3/4 BAB and a d8 HD (not to mention having to invest heavily in Cha and Wis). That chassis is fine for artillery that gets ranged touch attacks. It's not so good when you have multiple primary and secondary natural attacks that take massive penalties when you're using many of them in battle. Two-weapon fighting is awful for a 3/4 BAB class like a rogue, because the penalties from having a bad BAB stack with the penalties for multiple weapons, and they end up never hitting anything. This has the same problem except that you also have some of your weapons getting an extra -5 penalty just for being secondary.

So basically if you want to be able to deal any damage at all you're going to be using Hell-Born Savagery a lot, because that's seriously the only way in the entire class (aside from a 20th level capstone) to get more than one Tenebrous Touch in the same round. And while that's one way to do it, it kind of sucks to force people to take one particular harrowing just to be able to contribute in anything close to a meaningful way at later levels.

Another thing that kind of annoys me is that it's basically the MADdest class I've seen since the monk. You're going to be in melee to use Hell-Born Savagery, which means you're going to want Str (not to mention to increase your low attack rolls because of multiattacking + 3/4 BAB). You're going to need Dex because of your light armour proficiency only. You're going to need Con not only to supplement your low HD for melee but also because a lot of your harrowings and other abilities are based off of Con. You're going to want Will for your mandated Will saves to stop going off the leash at inopportune times. And all of your save DCs are based off Cha. So seriously the only real dump stat is Int, which sucks if you want any skills at all (especially if you want that feat that you need to burn cross-class skill points on just to qualify for). Really, it would be nice to have something to lessen the MAD, like a feat to qualify Cha as Con or vice-versa for the save DCs or ability uses. Or something like that.

I think there seriously needs a way to get more than one Tenebrous Touch even just as ranged attacks in a single round sometime before the end of the game. Whether it's moving the capstone back or just flat-up giving them the ability to launch extra Touches when they get access to their iteratives, the class just isn't going to be able to keep up for damage.

Like I said before, I really love the idea behind the class. It's a sweet take on the warlock's core idea, and it just oozes flavour. I'm actually really curious how it would play out, so I think I'ma introduce a harrowed NPC at our next session. Nicely done! :smallsmile:

flabort
2011-07-30, 11:14 AM
I love the Harrowed. It's dark, flavorful, and actually has class features that work. So many classes are flavorful, but their class features suck, or have great class features, but sucky flavor. This has great flavor and class features.

Onto my point, though.
For a while, I was trying to make a PrC for this. Without permission from you, or from the guy who made the other class it progresses. But I couldn't finish it for multiple reasons.
Even though the classes seem to be made for each other, I just can't figure out how to make a good PrC that advances features from both, and has a unique ability of it's own. Also, I had no internet for a couple months, and lost all my progress and notes.

Regardless, I was wondering if you, or any of the fans capable of actually making stuff work that you have under you, would be interested in trying? I was trying for a PrC that combined Harrowed with The Evolutionist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112349), which turned two years old just after I gave up. It was supposed to be a birthday present for that class, but also a tribute to the great mind behind the Harrowed.

Guest#1
2011-08-01, 11:08 PM
I love the Harrowed. It's dark, flavorful, and actually has class features that work. So many classes are flavorful, but their class features suck, or have great class features, but sucky flavor. This has great flavor and class features.

Onto my point, though.
For a while, I was trying to make a PrC for this. Without permission from you, or from the guy who made the other class it progresses. But I couldn't finish it for multiple reasons.
Even though the classes seem to be made for each other, I just can't figure out how to make a good PrC that advances features from both, and has a unique ability of it's own. Also, I had no internet for a couple months, and lost all my progress and notes.

Regardless, I was wondering if you, or any of the fans capable of actually making stuff work that you have under you, would be interested in trying? I was trying for a PrC that combined Harrowed with The Evolutionist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112349), which turned two years old just after I gave up. It was supposed to be a birthday present for that class, but also a tribute to the great mind behind the Harrowed.

just kinda skimmed what you said, but if you want to have benefit + something new, come up with something like the virtuoso is for bards...it gives bonuses just for being a bard, plus, it gives you access to a whole slew of new songs...so ya might want to check that out...

deuxhero
2011-08-04, 07:22 AM
Those that aren’t promptly slain for being “unholy witch children”

I have never understood this in worlds with provable magic.

Volthawk
2011-08-04, 07:32 AM
I have never understood this in worlds with provable magic.

Just because there is magic doesn't mean people trust it, or like it. Also, not all magic is good magic, and there is still unholy magic (say, [Evil] stuff, stuff like Desecrate, Animate Dead for examples), which no villagers want around them.

ZeroGear
2011-08-04, 11:42 AM
I have never understood this in worlds with provable magic.

'Witch children' is a more common way to refer to people who are though to bring misfortune or have ties to dark powers.
In a fantasy setting, the 'witch' is not a referring to a spell caster, instead pointing more towards Night Hags and other magically gifted Monstrosities of the female variety.

Cieyrin
2011-08-07, 10:34 AM
I have never understood this in worlds with provable magic.

Witch hunts aren't possible without magic being presumed to be in one form or another, whether that be a pact with demons or whatever. Plus, consider the common theme of rooting out cults in many an adventure. No society (except particularly evil ones or societies built around cults) wants demon worshipers in their midst, stealing their women and children and sacrificing them to bring in creatures from the lower planes.

Finally, just because there is magic in a world doesn't mean everybody is gonna be enlightened about it. Sorcerers happen spontaneously often enough in areas where it's not common that they have to deal with prejudice from the unaware or specifically from the aware who don't want upstart magical people causing unrest and disrupting their schemes. More than one theocracy has done so in published adventures and settings, such as Dark Sun or in some parts of the Realms.

Sengachi
2011-08-24, 10:45 PM
Yah, I've been creating some test Harrowed recently and I have two issues. Both have already been listed above but I'll go into detail on them.

First of all, Harrowed are MaD like nothing I've ever seen. I think I know how to fix this. First, remove all dex requirements, harrowed don't need dex when they have Armoring will and Chains of Will, this will remove one problem. Second is something done in pathfinder. In pathfinder, undead use their charisma mods the same way the living use con mods for health bonuses. This would make perfect sense for the Harrowed. I mean, Charisma is supposed to be one's "innate power", wouldn't it make sense for the monster's power inside the player to improve his ability to soak damage? I'm not saying it's perfect but having Charisma add to a Harrowed's health in addition to Constitution would be perfect, it would make Harrowed so much less MaD, whiles still allowing Con to be useful. It would also fix the problem that Harrowed are a primarily melee class with low health dice, and don't have a class AC bonus to help with it.

Second, Tenebrous Touch (love the name by the way). Sweet god is it underpowered sometimes. First of all, I see no reason why any of the energy types (force exempt) use a d4. They should all be d6, no one in their right mind would chose one of the d4 energy types. But most importantly I think you should be able to full-round attack with energy types. Now while I understand that could easily be overpowered, I suggest that either only the first blast has a secondary effect, or all secondary and tertiary blasts go from d6 to d4 or d4 to d3. Maybe both. Regardless, this should be looked into. And before people begin crying OP on the full-round attack thing, Harrowed only get 15/10/5 AB anyways. I play a homeruled thing for my harrowed where I get the full-round TT where only the first has a secondary. None of my friends think it's OP, nor does our DM, or me.

Think one these please? :smallsmile:

Lord_Gareth
2011-08-26, 08:31 AM
Alright Harrowed fans, haters, thread readers and people who clicked the wrong link, an announcement:

A total rehaul is imminent.

That is all.

radmelon
2011-08-26, 12:59 PM
Hallelujah.

flabort
2011-08-26, 02:42 PM
Uh-oh.... What will that do to any PrCs anyone's made?
There are some things about it that may have needed it, granted.

But there are some things about a Core fighter that need a total rehaul, or about a Core Wizard, monk, or even druid.

Will this rehaul be a nerf, power level wise, or a boost?

Amechra
2011-08-26, 05:02 PM
I'll wait for the PrC.

Sigh.

Lord_Gareth
2011-08-26, 07:42 PM
Will this rehaul be a nerf, power level wise, or a boost?

Generally a boost; increase Tenebrous Touch damage potential, solve MAD by permitting archetype options (like options to reward high STR or high DEX instead of requiring both), tighten up the focus of the feats and Harrowings, add additional Harrowings and Feats, increase options for ranged attackers. The big thing will be the MAD reducers. I'll start a new thread for it when I'm done, so feel free to throw down any ideas you have that you'd like me to consider or rework.

PrCs shouldn't be affected in terms of working with the text, but the alteration in power level may cause additional considerations, as will text alterations.

Halna LeGavilk
2011-09-03, 08:26 PM
You should change charisma to being the most important ability score, as most of the abilities last for Cha mod rounds, so a positive Cha score is necessary, not just important.

Tesla_pasta
2011-09-03, 09:37 PM
this class has TEH FLAVOR! I love the way using abilities risks losing control. You have done a great job trying to hash this out into a balanced workable class with the community. I think the overhaul might be a good idea, to find a happy medium for tenebrous touch being melee/ranged weak/overpowered in the game. I think for my next 3.5 campaign ill roll up one of these suckers!

Guest#1
2011-09-05, 06:29 AM
You should change charisma to being the most important ability score, as most of the abilities last for Cha mod rounds, so a positive Cha score is necessary, not just important.

The pally. positive cha mod is necessary to use his/her main ability, smite evil, plus, when he/she gets the ability to turn undead, he needs cha for that too...yet cha is still listed as one of the lesser important scores for him/her...

Lord_Gareth
2011-09-06, 12:33 AM
Alrighty folks, one of my proposals is thus:

- With regards to save DC's and durations, the three stats I intend to use are CON, WIS, and CHA. CON will be tied to most Harrowings that require a save (things like grapple or trip will have options between STR and DEX), such as poison, disease, and other status effects. WIS will be used for the various (Su) Harrowed feats such as Armoring Will, while CHA will be used for all base class features.

Cieyrin
2011-09-06, 09:57 AM
Alrighty folks, one of my proposals is thus:

- With regards to save DC's and durations, the three stats I intend to use are CON, WIS, and CHA. CON will be tied to most Harrowings that require a save (things like grapple or trip will have options between STR and DEX), such as poison, disease, and other status effects. WIS will be used for the various (Su) Harrowed feats such as Armoring Will, while CHA will be used for all base class features.

I don't see where Wis really needs to come into this, that seems like adding MAD for no good reason. Like, Harrowed already need Dex for Tenebrous Touch, Con, like everybody else, for HP and Cha for supernatural stuff. I'd cut Wis out personally and let Cha handle supernaturals like most things in the book tend to. Setting the bar too high in what stats you need where to actually play the class well is just going to lead to frustration.

flabort
2011-09-06, 10:31 AM
The MAD is still getting reduced with that proposal.

Joxer t' Mighty
2011-09-29, 10:44 AM
Was curious, do you need line of sight for tenebrous touch, or is it like an arrow?

EdroGrimshell
2011-09-29, 12:40 PM
I don't see where Wis really needs to come into this, that seems like adding MAD for no good reason. Like, Harrowed already need Dex for Tenebrous Touch, Con, like everybody else, for HP and Cha for supernatural stuff. I'd cut Wis out personally and let Cha handle supernaturals like most things in the book tend to. Setting the bar too high in what stats you need where to actually play the class well is just going to lead to frustration.

:smallconfused:
Most harrowed abilities require a will save. Unless you invest a feat on Force of Personality Wis boosts the will save and makes it so you're less likely to lose control of the beast within.

Cieyrin
2011-09-30, 09:12 AM
:smallconfused:
Most harrowed abilities require a will save. Unless you invest a feat on Force of Personality Wis boosts the will save and makes it so you're less likely to lose control of the beast within.

Oh. Duh. nvm...

Sengachi
2011-10-01, 03:36 PM
Was curious, do you need line of sight for tenebrous touch, or is it like an arrow?

My past experience with ranged touch blasts has been that they go in a straight line. But harrowed are intentionally vague so they can be tailored to a specific campaign. With hellfire or caustic fury you could probably reduce the range by 10ft so you could arc Tenebrous Touch over obstacles. But I'm no authority on this.

flabort
2011-10-01, 03:53 PM
My Lord, Gareth


Hath the repairs on the eastern wallHarrowed class gone well so far? In the recent events, have you fixed it to use less of our precious stoneStat modifiers yet? The last attack by angry raidersangry PrC brewers almost destroyed the citythread, and we would like to know if it is safe to leave our housesMake more PrCs yet?

--A humble peasantAngry PrC brewer.

Lord_Gareth
2011-10-01, 08:58 PM
I'll level with you - I've gotten almost no work done in this time. Real life has been smacking me around and hounding me; first work gets slammed, then I've got to move to a new apartment, and now I'm sick (and still not moved into the apartment). I may not be able to be online for a few weeks or even a couple of months depending on how often I can access a computer, and I probably won't be doing hardcore work during that time. That being, said, I do have some good news:

Primus - I've got a notebook collecting ideas for the Harrowed as I come up with them. Regular phone contact with Djinn_in_Tonic continues to provide awesome ideas and critique on the ones that sound awesome but, in retrospect, suck.

Secundus - The Harrowed is my single-oldest project. It is my baby, and I'll not abandon her.

Tertius - As always, this thread remains open for ideas and critique.

Also:


Was curious, do you need line of sight for tenebrous touch, or is it like an arrow?

This is D&D, where arrows, sling stones, magical lasers and orbs of (nonmagical!) force all travel in straight lines through whatever squares you have line of effect to to any square in range you can perceive. It's got a sixty foot range. If you can draw a straight line to any square in sixty feet without passing through total cover (like a wall), you can shoot it. Work out the physics never.

flabort
2011-10-01, 09:13 PM
Ah, good. Good. OK, not good that you didn't get much work done, but that's because of Life's Little Nuisances. Not your fault, nor anyone else's. Good that you've got a bunch of ideas, though.

Question: If someone where to make a PrC for the current version, that granted extra harrowings, would it still be OK after the overhaul?

Lord_Gareth
2011-10-01, 09:17 PM
Ah, good. Good. OK, not good that you didn't get much work done, but that's because of Life's Little Nuisances. Not your fault, nor anyone else's. Good that you've got a bunch of ideas, though.

Question: If someone where to make a PrC for the current version, that granted extra harrowings, would it still be OK after the overhaul?

Well that's the rub, now isn't it? The previously made PrC's like the Slender Touched technically still function and, indeed, might even function well with their 'bonus Harrowed feat' model after the overhaul. The biggest question hanging in the air is, "How much is a Harrowing going to be worth?" and the only answer I can give is, "Well, I dunno." The basic model you see here isn't going to change - Harrowings are here forever - but what it does might.

TL;DR - Feel free, but you might end up having to revise anyway just to keep power levels consistent.

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-10-02, 05:36 PM
Primus - I've got a notebook collecting ideas for the Harrowed as I come up with them. Regular phone contact with Djinn_in_Tonic continues to provide awesome ideas and critique on the ones that sound awesome but, in retrospect, suck.

You call the "reliability" with which I answer my phone regular? What's irregular contact like then? :smalltongue:

Lord_Gareth
2011-10-02, 05:39 PM
You call the "reliability" with which I answer my phone regular? What's irregular contact like then? :smalltongue:

That's when I have to offer chickens on makeshift altars to the Eastern Wind and whisper my message to it in the hopes that it reaches your ears.

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-10-02, 06:01 PM
That's when I have to offer chickens on makeshift altars to the Eastern Wind and whisper my message to it in the hopes that it reaches your ears.

THAT explains those strange voices I've been hearing...

NineThePuma
2011-10-02, 06:04 PM
You two make me feel normal.

I'm not sure if I like it.

Lord_Gareth
2011-10-02, 06:09 PM
THAT explains those strange voices I've been hearing...

Damnit I said I wasn't paying for the Maddening Whispers package! If this thing tries to charge me extra chickens I'm going to give it such a what-for!

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-10-02, 08:13 PM
Damnit I said I wasn't paying for the Maddening Whispers package! If this thing tries to charge me extra chickens I'm going to give it such a what-for!

It's probably going to at least hit you with long distance charges: your average chicken sacrifice is really only good for a few hundred miles, so you're taxing your arcane conduits rather heavily with the information load.



You two make me feel normal.

I'm not sure if I like it.

Heh. This makes me smile. :smallbiggrin:

Lord_Gareth
2011-10-04, 05:15 PM
Attention Harrowed Fans: I need your input! One of the primary things I'm going to do with my hiatus is examine both the feats and the Harrowings. In general, the feats are going to be invested in improving existing class features and aiding the 'ranged attacker' archetype of the Harrowed, with some supplementary material (like Armoring Will) that's universally applicable. Feats care about your WIS score.

Harrowings, on the other hand, are about the physical manifestations of monstrosity; they grant the weird movement speeds, water breathing, additional natural attacks, chitinous plating, and all that jazz.

So my question to you is: What kind of feats and harrowings do you want to see? What kind of abilities do you want made freshly available? Is there something not covered you'd like to see? An improvement to an existing feature? I want YOUR ideas and requests!

Amechra
2011-10-04, 06:28 PM
There need to be some harrowings that mess with reality...

Like maybe something like what a Displacer Beast has.

Could be explained away by the fact that the process of taking power from the beast isn't exactly clean or neat, and it messes up reality around you.

Constantly.

radmelon
2011-10-04, 06:46 PM
I liked the bizarre and bestial changes, the signs of the beast's influence changing your form to match its. It really added a whole "oh gods what's happening to me" feel. Like signs of demon corruption.

Lord_Gareth
2011-10-04, 07:29 PM
There need to be some harrowings that mess with reality...

This here is really more the provenance of feats or ACFs than it is Harrowings, which represent physical or mental changes to the Harrowed (such as Nightmare Mind).

Ajadea
2011-10-04, 07:39 PM
Separating the ability to use Tenebrous Touch twice from the claws would be awesome. Maybe making it a feat that allows you to, every so often, use Tenebrous Touch twice, including channeling it?

What about a Slippery Mind-esque Harrowing (not applying against The Monster Within)? The monster Does Not Like being restricted-perhaps this should include mental restrictions as well as physical ones. Possibly upgradable as immunity to enchantments of any sort.

Owrtho
2011-10-04, 09:08 PM
I'd like to see some harrowings that might be stronger than others but come with negative side effects as a balancer. They could represent the monster within warping the harrowed's body in ways that aren't entirely beneficial.

Owrtho

Lord_Gareth
2011-10-05, 12:20 AM
I'd like to see some harrowings that might be stronger than others but come with negative side effects as a balancer. They could represent the monster within warping the harrowed's body in ways that aren't entirely beneficial.

This, however, is also tricky to design, as generally speaking it's bad/sloppy design. Granting a big bonus in exchange for a penalty not only encourages min-maxing, but can lead to situations where the drawback doesn't really balance out the benefit. Granted, it can provide hard numbers to reinforce the flavor of the class, but I like to think that flavor is not the Harrowed's problem, y'know?

SamBurke
2011-10-05, 12:30 AM
Attention Harrowed Fans: I need your input! One of the primary things I'm going to do with my hiatus is examine both the feats and the Harrowings. In general, the feats are going to be invested in improving existing class features and aiding the 'ranged attacker' archetype of the Harrowed, with some supplementary material (like Armoring Will) that's universally applicable. Feats care about your WIS score.

Harrowings, on the other hand, are about the physical manifestations of monstrosity; they grant the weird movement speeds, water breathing, additional natural attacks, chitinous plating, and all that jazz.

So my question to you is: What kind of feats and harrowings do you want to see? What kind of abilities do you want made freshly available? Is there something not covered you'd like to see? An improvement to an existing feature? I want YOUR ideas and requests!

Sneakyness would be cool.

More on the whole beast thing. Maybe create a Wild-shape-esque sort of thing?

Rage? (Refluffed as animal ferocity).

Maybe a Celestial (god-ordained) version? A paladin-Harrowed? (Sort of like an un-Harrowed...yeah.)

Owrtho
2011-10-05, 01:25 AM
This, however, is also tricky to design, as generally speaking it's bad/sloppy design. Granting a big bonus in exchange for a penalty not only encourages min-maxing, but can lead to situations where the drawback doesn't really balance out the benefit. Granted, it can provide hard numbers to reinforce the flavor of the class, but I like to think that flavor is not the Harrowed's problem, y'know?

I agree that is usually the case, though if done properly it can work well. That said, I find it difficult to think of many examples that would provide hard number penalties due to the change. The easiest one I can think of would be gaining some superior form of perceiving the world at the cost of going blind, but runs into the issue that any reasonable range of blindsight is more than powerful enough to make up for the loss of colour perception, while if the range is reduced to an amount that it wouldn't seem overly strong it winds up leaving the character far too vulnerable due to inability to see anything at a distance.
On the other hand, things that seem like they would be easier to balance, such as having the harrowed lose a limb while the other grows larger or the like, run into the problem that core D&D has no penalties or the like dealing with lacking body parts.
Meanwhile other similar things like disfiguring marks, are difficult to add any mechanical stats too, while vulnerabilities or the like are as you mentioned too easy to min-max.

Owrtho

flabort
2011-10-05, 11:25 AM
Some Harrowings that actually make resisting the Beast Within easier, but require Dark Deal, or something.

That could be your strong-but-with-a-penalty type harrowings. You agree to let it manifest in this way, which is bad for you for the most part, but you get more control.

So, you get fast healing 2, and +2 or something to will saves, but whenever you're attacked, this bad thing happens.
Or you get an extra attack, and +2 to will, or something, but whenever you attack at all, this other bad thing happens.
You lose the ability to wield two handed, or duel wield, or use a shield, because your off hand has become this shriveled, thing, that the Monster uses to... something, but you get +2 to will, and +2 to hit. And 1d6 sneak attack.

Or something like that. just five or six harrowings that provide a fairly nice effect, a bonus to will, or at least to resisting the beast within, and some non-number penalty that is directly detrimental to your nice new effect.

As to feats... Something to do with multiclassing. Like swift hunter, ascetic mage, or daring outlaw. So, I can switch freely between paladin + harrowed levels, and this and this and this ability continue to increase no matter which of those two classes I take, AND I get another nice ability.
And after this other feat, it's the same between harrowed and soulknife. And my tenebrous touch interacts with my soulknife levels in an unexpected way.

Oh, and these feats also unlock even more harrowings, that somehow have to do with these classes.

Cieyrin
2011-10-05, 01:41 PM
Hmm, how would the Monster Within interact with the PHB2 feat Indomitable Soul? Are the saves considered Mind-Affecting, as that would make that a nice feat. Alternatively, I'd seriously think about Steadfast Determination as a possibility for MAD reduction, since everybody values Con, anyways, and it's easier to pump one stat to boost 2 saves.

Sengachi
2011-10-05, 06:50 PM
Maybe a Celestial (god-ordained) version? A paladin-Harrowed? (Sort of like an un-Harrowed...yeah.)

So, I've totally already done that. Tainted Grace and Tainted Champion make it really easy. I've got a good-aligned pally/harrowed right now. He has a fallen angel welded onto his soul. It's rather fun. So, the message here is that's already possible, and I don't really see a need to add feats for that.

Sengachi
2011-12-01, 12:14 AM
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

All the awesome Harrowed pictures have been deleted!

Cieyrin
2011-12-01, 12:03 PM
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

All the awesome Harrowed pictures have been deleted!

The first one is still there. Gareth probably just moved them.

Sengachi
2011-12-28, 02:19 AM
Because I can't think of Improved Mojo brews T_T

New Feats
Tainted Grace[Harrowed]
You have contrived to forge an agreement between your Beast and the source of your supernatural powers.
Prerequisites: Dark Deal, the character must possess class features (such as spells or supernatural abilities) that they would lose access to for changing alignment.
Benefit: You do not lose access to your alignment-based class features (such as the supernatural abilities of the paladin class or druid spellcasting) while the Monster Within is in control of your actions, even in the extremely likely event that it commits actions in violation of one or more of your codes of conduct.

Additionally, choose a single class feature that has limited uses per day from a class you possess that has an alignment restriction. Your levels in Harrowed stack with levels of that class for determining the advancement of that ability (such as uses per day of a barbarian's rage, or a cleric's turn undead).

Tenebrous Champion[Harrowed]
You draw upon the power of the Beast Within to punish your enemies.
Prerequisites: Dark Deal, Tenebrous Touch 2d6, Smite class feature 1/day or 1/encounter (examples include a Crusader's Smite ability, a Paladin's Smite Evil or a Blackguard's Smite Good)
Benefit: Your levels in Harrowed stack with levels in your Smite-granting classes (such as Crusader, Paladin, or Blackguard) for the purposes of determining the uses per day and damage of your Smite abilities. Additionally, if you use your Smite as part of a Tenebrous Touch attack (such as when you channel it through melee or with the Ranged Smiting feat), you instead add your Harrowed and Smite-granting class levels to the attack roll and an additional number of dice to the damage roll equal to your Charisma modifier. This additional damage stems from pure divine energy and is not subject to resistance of any kind.

You forgot to post these with the rest of the feats. Which is a shame, 'cus these are my favorite Harrowed feats.

General Patton
2011-12-28, 02:47 AM
I believe this class needs to get the ability to not automatically fail Will Saves on a Natural 1. The sheer number of times you have to roll vs The Monster Within, combined with the massive duration of lost-control, seems like it would be more trouble than it's worth.

NineThePuma
2011-12-28, 03:01 AM
Guys, Gareth has been absent for months. <_<

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-12-28, 03:05 PM
Guys, Gareth has been absent for months. <_<

Yeah...he has internet issues these days. Which is unfortunate. He is, however, still interested in working on this project. He's just currently unable to do so.

Lord_Gareth
2011-12-28, 03:07 PM
I haven't forgotten my baby, though - and I try to check in every now and then to see what's going on. I still have no internet at home, so I'm just a-tinkerin' away, languishing without any connection to the Web. Sorry for the lack of contact, ya'll.

Djinn_in_Tonic
2011-12-28, 03:22 PM
I haven't forgotten my baby, though - and I try to check in every now and then to see what's going on. I still have no internet at home, so I'm just a-tinkerin' away, languishing without any connection to the Web. Sorry for the lack of contact, ya'll.

Figures. The MOMENT I post saying you have no real internet connection, you someone manage to post something anyway. You devil. :smalltongue:

NineThePuma
2011-12-28, 04:53 PM
Figures. The MOMENT I post saying you have no real internet connection, you someone manage to post something anyway. You devil. :smalltongue:

This is exactly how I feel. |3

EdroGrimshell
2012-02-11, 02:00 PM
Hope i'm not necroing by posting now, but i notice a distinct lack of weapon support in the harrowings or harrowed feats, plenty of natural weapons, but no love for manufactured weapons. What if the inner demon is like a Legion Devil, only offensive ability is a shield bash and a sword.

Just saying it could use a boost in that area

Veklim
2012-02-11, 06:27 PM
Sounds more like an exception than something which needs a rule. At most there should be a note somewhere dealing with the rare occassion when this is appropriate, imho.

Secondly, I don't personally mind seeing this rather epic 'brew dragged up the board again, it's always nice to see a (comforting?!) face on the forums :smallbiggrin:

Lord_Gareth
2012-02-11, 09:29 PM
Guess who has a reliable connection again?!?!?!?

vasharanpaladin
2012-02-11, 11:37 PM
Guess who has a reliable connection again?!?!?!?

Ooh! Oooh~! I know! It's me, right? :smallbiggrin:

Djinn_in_Tonic
2012-02-12, 02:46 PM
Guess who has a reliable connection again?!?!?!?

EXCELLENT. I've been waiting for AGES for Jeffrey to get his connection back! Thanks for letting us know he did, Gareth!

...although why Jeffrey didn't just tell me himself I'll never know.

:smalltongue:




...why the hells did I pick Jeffrey as the name of this imaginary fellow?

Moonwolf727
2013-01-02, 10:33 AM
Did you know that this class has a mention on tvtropes? I was surprised to see it but the link is HERE (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SealedEvilInACan) it's under the tabtletop games section.

Lord_Gareth
2013-01-02, 10:54 AM
Did you know that this class has a mention on tvtropes? I was surprised to see it but the link is HERE (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SealedEvilInACan) it's under the tabtletop games section.

...Wow. And I'm not even done with it yet >.>

Necroticplague
2013-01-02, 12:53 PM
...Wow. And I'm not even done with it yet >.>

You aren't? What's left to be done?

NineThePuma
2013-01-02, 01:06 PM
He's in the process of a major revision of some kind or another because he feels dissatisfied with the current version.

radmelon
2013-01-02, 01:53 PM
He's in the process of a major revision of some kind or another because he feels dissatisfied with the current version.

Again? No offense, I love this class (it's the reason I joined GitP in the first place) but how many times has it been rebooted?

Lord_Gareth
2013-01-02, 06:31 PM
Again? No offense, I love this class (it's the reason I joined GitP in the first place) but how many times has it been rebooted?

The upcoming version will be 5.0, and is intended to address the balance concerns Kellus and others have brought up.

NineThePuma
2013-01-02, 07:05 PM
Someday, it will happen.

Regitnui
2013-06-20, 07:20 AM
This isn't necromancy, commenting here?

I love this class, and I'd probably play as it if I had any choice in the matter. Is there a 5.0 posted anywhere yet, or can i still use the first page of this thread for building?

Moonwolf727
2013-06-20, 10:50 AM
This isn't necromancy, commenting here?

I love this class, and I'd probably play as it if I had any choice in the matter. Is there a 5.0 posted anywhere yet, or can i still use the first page of this thread for building?

The first post is the current version as far as I am aware, and it works quite well considering I'm playing one at the moment. 5.0 is not done yet to the best of my knowledge but version 4, the first page, works quite well already.

Necroticplague
2013-06-20, 11:00 AM
This isn't necromancy, commenting here?

I love this class, and I'd probably play as it if I had any choice in the matter. Is there a 5.0 posted anywhere yet, or can i still use the first page of this thread for building?

It's been almost half a year since the last post, it doesdnt get much ore necro than this.If the OP was to post here (since this is their 'brew) it wouldn't be, but as it is, it is.

Regitnui
2013-06-20, 11:37 AM
It's been almost half a year since the last post, it doesdnt get much ore necro than this.If the OP was to post here (since this is their 'brew) it wouldn't be, but as it is, it is.

Apologies then, I did have a question though. Has anyone tried mixing this class with Dragonfire Adept? As if a dragon has taken a particular Harrowed under its wing.


The first post is the current version as far as I am aware, and it works quite well considering I'm playing one at the moment. 5.0 is not done yet to the best of my knowledge but version 4, the first page, works quite well already.

What's the best archetype to go for? Stealth/Natural and Ranged Attack is what I'd like to go for, hence my question above.

Moonwolf727
2013-06-20, 11:46 AM
Apologies then, I did have a question though. Has anyone tried mixing this class with Dragonfire Adept? As if a dragon has taken a particular Harrowed under its wing.

Maybe? Never heard of anyone trying it but I haven't exactly been looking for character concepts.


What's the best archetype to go for? Stealth/Natural and Ranged Attack is what I'd like to go for, hence my question above.

That's what I've been playing myself, minus the natural attacks, and it works quite well for me. I haven't playtested exstensively as of yet but the archetype has held up pretty well, though predatory obfuscation was definitely a godsend.

Regitnui
2013-06-20, 11:57 AM
That's what I've been playing myself, minus the natural attacks, and it works quite well for me. I haven't playtested exstensively as of yet but the archetype has held up pretty well, though predatory obfuscation was definitely a godsend.

The first thing I thought when looking at this class was 'humanoid becoming a beast due to the Sealed Evil within'. Nice to know the stealthy predator thing I wanted to do held up well. :D I just like the idea of breath weapons as well. Any simple way to get a breath weapon without multiclassing? A feat, maybe?

Moonwolf727
2013-06-20, 12:34 PM
The first thing I thought when looking at this class was 'humanoid becoming a beast due to the Sealed Evil within'. Nice to know the stealthy predator thing I wanted to do held up well. :D I just like the idea of breath weapons as well. Any simple way to get a breath weapon without multiclassing? A feat, maybe?

Not any feats that I know of but you can always become a Dragonborn of Bahamut if that doesn't mess with your concept too much. Alternatively, although you mentioned it yourself, you can always take a level in another class to gain a breath weapon. I honestly don't know though, I'm not the most familiar with breath weapons and I'm pretty sure that most of them scale with Class Level rather than Character Level.

vasharanpaladin
2013-06-20, 03:46 PM
The first thing I thought when looking at this class was 'humanoid becoming a beast due to the Sealed Evil within'. Nice to know the stealthy predator thing I wanted to do held up well. :D I just like the idea of breath weapons as well. Any simple way to get a breath weapon without multiclassing? A feat, maybe?

Do you care about mechanical baggage? Because I pretty much just described the ranged attack as a breath weapon (compare to the Unholy Ravager of Tiamat's Profane Blast ability) and left it at that. :smallbiggrin:

Regitnui
2013-06-21, 12:43 AM
Do you care about mechanical baggage? Because I pretty much just described the ranged attack as a breath weapon (compare to the Unholy Ravager of Tiamat's Profane Blast ability) and left it at that. :smallbiggrin:

Sounds like an idea... I can picture breathing the effect onto your claws and swinging them around until it dissipates (After like one attack, but hey.)

Just to Browse
2013-06-21, 01:30 AM
The image under harrowings is dead.

Regitnui
2013-06-21, 02:50 AM
The image under harrowings is dead.

All of them except the first are. I wonder if we can find them again...

Forrestfire
2015-03-14, 12:36 AM
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special


1st

+0

+0

+0

+2
The Monster Within, Tenebrous Touch (1d6), Harrowing


2nd

+1

+0

+0

+3
Two-World Eyes (Darkvision)


3rd

+2

+1

+1

+3
Tenebrous Touch (2d6), Harrowing


4th

+3

+1

+1

+4
Death Sight


5th

+3

+1

+1

+4
Tenebrous Mantle, Tenebrous Touch (3d6), Harrowing


6th

+4

+2

+2

+5
Tenebrous Touch (Melee)


7th

+5

+2

+2

+5
Glimpse the Soul, Tenebrous Touch (4d6), Harrowing


8th

+6/+1

+2

+2

+6
Evil Eye


9th

+6/+1

+3

+3

+6
Bestial Resilience 10, Tenebrous Touch (5d6), Harrowing


10th

+7/+2

+3

+3

+7
Two-World Eyes (Detect Magic)


11th

+8/+3

+3

+3

+7
Tenebrous Touch (6d6), Harrowing


12th

+9/+4

+4

+4

+8
Read the Soul, Scent the Occult


13th

+9/+4

+4

+4

+8
Tenebrous Touch (7d6), Harrowing


14th

+10/+5

+4

+4

+9
Tenebrous Touch (Unholy Infusion)


15th

+11/+6/+1

+5

+5

+9
Dark Whispers, Tenebrous Touch (8d6), Harrowing


16th

+12/+7/+2

+5

+5

+10
Two-World Eyes (Magical Darkness), Sense the Unseen


17th

+12/+7/+2

+5

+5

+10
Tenebrous Touch (9d6), Harrowing


18th

+13/+8/+3

+6

+6

+11
Bestial Resilience 20


19th

+14/+9/+4

+6

+6

+11
Tenebrous Touch (10d6), Harrowing


20th

+15/+10/+5

+6

+6

+12
Tenebrous Fury

NineThePuma
2015-03-14, 04:47 AM
I keep forgetting that I have tables for all of his homebrew saved in notepad on my desktop. I should throw them at him. Thanks for the reminder. And also the table.